LOCAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE EDITIONGambler Lottie Deno Salad Days Bracken Bat CaveGambler Lottie Deno Salad Days Bracken Bat Cave

WATER for ALL?

AUGUST 2012

Wake Up, Texas:Our Water CrisisDemands Action.NOW.

WATERfor ALL?Wake Up, Texas: Our Water Crisis Demands Action. NOW.

www.muellerinc.com • 877-2-MUELLER

PROTECT THINGS THAT MATTERA Mueller metal roof is a smart addition to your home for many reasons, such as weather resistance. Mueller roofs

offer superior protection from wind, hail and fire. Stop by

one of our 30 locations or go online and learn more about

the benefits of Mueller metal roofing.

Visit our online color selector tool to choose your color and panel style.

MUELLER METAL ROOFING

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 3

T E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R AT I V E S B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S : Rick Haile, Chair, McGregor; Ron Hughes, Vice Chair, Sinton; Darryl Schriver, Secretary-Treasurer, Merkel; Randy Mahannah,Perryton; Billy Marricle, Bellville; Melody Pinnell, Crockett; Mark Stubbs, Greenville P R E S I D E N T/ C E O : Mike Williams, Austin S T R AT E G I C C O M M U N I C AT I O N S A DV I S O RY C O M M I T T E E :William “Buff” Whitten, Chair, Eldorado; Bryan Lightfoot, Vice Chair, Bartlett; Roy Griffin, Edna; Stan McClendon, Wellington; Gary Nietsche, La Grange; Anne Vaden, Argyle; Larry Warren, San AugustineC O M M U N I C AT I O N S S TA F F: Martin Bevins, Sales Director; Carol Moczygemba, Executive Editor; Tom Widlowski, Associate Editor; Suzi Sands, Art Director; Karen Nejtek, Production Manager;Ashley Clary-Carpenter, Field Editor; Andy Doughty, Production Designer/Web Content Manager; Sandra Forston, Communications Assistant; Suzanne Haberman, Staff Writer; Kevin Hargis, Food Editor;Ellen Stader, Proofreader WAT E R M E LO N P H OTO © V I KTA R M A LYS H C H YTS . I M AG E F R O M B I G STO C K .CO M .

C O V E R P H O T O Mary Beth Renick by Woody Welch, photo manipulation by Andy Doughty

F E A T U R E S

Water for All? State officials and conservationists sound the alarm: We don’t have enough water, and shortages couldhappen anywhere in the state. Just ask West Texans, such asRobert Lee Mayor John Jacobs, above. What can we do?Plenty. But we have to start now. By Andrew Sansom, Joe Nick Patoski, Camille Wheeler and Carol Moczygemba • Photos by Woody Welch

F A V O R I T E S

33 Texas HistoryLottie Denoby Martha Deeringer

35 RecipesThese Are the Salad Days

39 Focus on TexasUp Close and Personal

40 Around TexasLocal Events Listing

42 Hit the RoadBracken Bat Caveby Suzanne Haberman

O N L I N ETexasCoopPower.com

Texas USATalking to Beluga Whales at SeaWorldby Eileen Mattei

ObservationsThe Squirrel Whispererby Sheryl Smith-Rodgers

8

August 2012Since 1944

33

35 39Around Texas: Trucks, tractors, peaches and melons—all in De Leon on August 10-11. 40

What To Look Forin a Walk-In Tub:Five major considerations to

help make an informed decisionbefore buying a Walk-In Tub:

➻ Quality - A walk-in tub is amajor investment. You wantto find a quality tub that willlast for decades. Look for onethat’s 100% leakproof, mold-resistant, full metal frame construction and onethat’s American made.

➻ Warranty - Ask for a lifetime“no leak guarantee.” The besttubs offer a lifetime warranty on both the tub and the operating system.

➻ Pain Relieving Therapy - Finda tub that has both water andair jet therapy to soak awayyour aches and pains prefer-ably with a perfectly balancedwater to air mix.

➻ Comfort - Insist on ergonomicdesign, easy-to-reach controls.

➻ Endorsements - Only considertubs that are ETL or UL listed.Also look for a tub tested toIAPMO (InternationalAssociation of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials)standards and that’s USPC(Universal Spa PlumbingCode) Certified.

Technology Breakthrough Safe, comfortable bathing from Jacuzzi®➻

Enjoy A Bath Again… Safely and Affordably

The Jacuzzi® Walk-In tub is luxurious, feature-packed and affordable

• LowThreshold Step

• Jacuzzi®

PointProTM

Jet System

80407

Jacuzzi®

Walk-In TubFor information call:

1-888-959-8724Call now Toll-Free and mention your

special promotion code 45237. Third-party financing available with approved credit.

Not Available in Hawaii and Alaska

All rights reserved. © 2012 firstSTREET®, Inc. For Boomers and Beyond®

There is nothing like the simplepleasure of taking a warm bath.The cares of the day seem to

fade away, along with the aches andpains of everyday life. Unfortunatelyfor many aging Americans with mobility issues, slipping into a bathcan result in slipping onto the floor.The fear of falling has made the simpleact of bathing and its therapeutic benefits a thing of the past… until now.firstSTREET, the leader in productsDesigned for Seniors® has partnered withJacuzzi®, the company that perfectedhydrotherapy. Together, they’ve createda walk-in tub that offers more than justsafe bathing, peace-of-mindand independence, it canactually help you feel better.

Unlike traditional bathtubs,our Jacuzzi® Walk-In Tubfeatures a leakproof doorthat allows you to simplystep into the tub rather than stepping precariouslyover the side. It features a state-of-the-art acrylic surface, a raised seat, and

the controls are within easy reach. Noother Walk-In Tub features the patentedJacuzzi® PointProTM jet system. Thesehigh-volume, low-pressure pumps fea-ture a perfectly balanced water to airratio to massage thoroughly yet gently.Some swirl, some spiral, some deliverlarge volumes of water and others targetspecific pressure points. They are allarranged in precise locations designed todeliver a therapeutic massage, yet theyare fully adjustable so that your bathingexperience can be completely unique.

Why spend another day wishing youcould enjoy the luxury and pain-relievingbenefits of a safe, comfortable bath.

Call now andyou’ll get anu n s u r p a s s e dlimited lifetimew a r r a n t y .Knowledgeableproduct expertsare standing by to help you learn more aboutthis product. Call Today!

New!

SEE THE JACUZZI® DIFFERENCELaboratory tests clearly show how Jacuzzi®

outperforms other manufacturers’ jet systems, producing a deeper and widerplume of revitalizing bubbles. Best of all,

it doesn’t cost you a penny more!

Jacuzzi®

OtherBrands

J U N E 2 0 1 2L O C A L E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E E D I T I O N

HERITAGE TRAILS BLUEBERRIES ARCHER CITYHERITAGE TRAILS BLUEBERRIES ARCHER CITY

CHESS SUCCESS:Brownsville Students Make

All the Right Moves

KINGS&QUEENSKINGS&QUEENSCHESS SUCCESS:Brownsville Students Make

All the Right Moves

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 5

Letters, emails and posts from our readers

Notice anything different?

This month, we introduce a fresh look to thefamiliar design of Texas Co-op Power. You’ll stillfind your favorites, including Recipes, Texas History, Focus on Texas and Hit the Road.They’re just sporting a new style with a littlemore open space and some lively graphics. Ournew Currents section features reader letters anda variety of interesting tidbits: Texas Trivia, Co-op People, Energy News, Happenings andwhatever else we discover that’s worth sharing.We hope you enjoy our new look. As always, wewelcome your comments.

CAROL MOCZYGEMBA | EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Making All the Right MovesThank you so much for your coverstory, “The Kings and Queens ofBrownsville,” in the June issue. Wehave been sponsoring and mentor-ing chess players in our public andprivate school systems for fouryears (three tournaments com-pleted) and in the Fredericksburgbranch of the Boys & Girls Club ofthe Texas Hill Country. This startedout as a pursuit of our Noon RotaryClub and has grown to be a realsuccess. Our emphasis is “use thecomputer in your head,” and sports-manship. Thank you for calling thiswonderful game to everyone’sattention.

DICK DORER | FREDERICKSBURG

Saluting Hard WorkOn May 30, we were without elec-tricity for eight hours due to a fallentree on a power line. We live on CR4225 on a line that supplies electric-ity for nine residences. A tree hadfallen across the road near ourhouse, and we only have one wayout. There were four trucks fromLamar Electric Cooperative; the menwent beyond their call of duty andcleared the road with chainsawsbefore they continued their ownwork. We salute these men for thehard work they do on a daily basis.

JAY AND LORI SMITH | LAMAR EC

Food To Last the YearI loved the February article aboutkeyhole gardening! I grow a gardenevery year, and last year thedrought made it somewhat impos-sible to grow anything. I used thekeyhole garden idea and used rail-road cross ties filled with com-postable materials and my ownmixture of soils and, of course, cowmanure. The hole in the center is forcompost and water. I lined only thesides with plastic to hold in thewater and built a PVC pipe struc-ture to cover it with a shade mesh.It is working very well. I believe Iwill have a great crop this year. Forfall and winter, I can cover it withplastic and have produce all year.

DONNA WRIGHT | BIG COUNTRY EC

A Snakebitten LegacyThank you for the article “ASnakebitten Legacy” by ClayCoppedge in the June issue. That’svery interesting history concerningTexas and Polish Catholic immi-grants. I was born and raised inDetroit in the 1960s, and my imme-diate family migrated to Arlingtonin 1972. We are all still in the Metro-plex carrying on the Polish Catholictraditions learned from my parentsand grandparents. Compared tobeing from “somewhere out in EastTexas,” I can say I’m a fourth-generation Polish Catholic settler to the great state of Texas.

CHRIS PIKULINSKI | COSERV ELECTRIC

Follow the PickupsWhile reading the “Magical HistoryTour” articles [May and June issues]and reading of Carol Moczygemba’sdining experiences, my tactic cameto mind. When looking for a placeto eat in an unfamiliar town, Ialways look for a place with pickupsin the parking lot. The farmers andranchers are good indicators of thebest places to eat. They’ll neversteer you wrong.

GAYLON W. STAMPS | PANHANDLE

Park Hosts: the Next ChapterWhat a blessing volunteers are inthis time of financial crunch in ourstate parks—thank you for thereminder of their importance! I writea series of children’s books calledAnnie the Texas Ranch Dog that fea-ture Texas state parks as locationswhere pit-bull-mix Annie solvesmysteries with her Texas parkranger owner. I want young readersto convince their families to takeadvantage of the unique resourcesof our state parks. Your article about

volunteers [“Campground Com-rades,” February] reminded me toadd a park host to the characters inthe book I am writing.

PATTY SHAFER | GUADALUPE VALLEY EC

TEXAS CO-OP POWER VOLUME 69, NUMBER 2 (USPS 540-560). Texas Co-op Power is published monthly by Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC). Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX and at additional offices. TEC is thestatewide association representing 76 electric cooperatives. Texas Co-op Power’s website is TexasCoopPower.com. Call (512) 454-0311 or email editor@TexasCoopPower.com. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE is $3.96 per year forindividual members of subscribing cooperatives. If you are not a member of a subscribing cooperative, you can purchase an annual subscription at the nonmember rate of $7.50. Individual copies and back issues areavailable for $3 each. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Co-op Power (USPS 540-560), 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. Please enclose label from this copy of Texas Co-op Power showing oldaddress and key numbers. ADVERTISING: Advertisers interested in buying display ad space in Texas Co-op Power and/or in our 30 sister publications in other states, contact Martin Bevins at (512) 486-6249. Advertisementsin Texas Co-op Power are paid solicitations. The publisher neither endorses nor guarantees in any manner any product or company included in this publication. Product satisfaction and delivery responsibility lie solely withthe advertiser. Direct questions or comments about advertising to Martin Bevins, sales director.

© Copyright 2012 Texas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Reproduction of this issue or any portion of it is expressly prohibited without written permission. Willie Wiredhand © Copyright 2012 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

J U N E 2 0 1 2L O C A L E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E E D I T I O N

HERITAGE TRAILS BLUEBERRIES ARCHER CITYHERITAGE TRAILS BLUEBERRIES ARCHER CITY

CHESS SUCCESS:Brownsville Students Make

All the Right Moves

KINGS&QUEENSKINGS&QUEENSCHESS SUCCESS:Brownsville Students Make

All the Right Moves

CURRENTSM

AIL

BO

X:

WIL

L VA

N O

VER

BEE

K

Find us onFacebook

GET MORE TCP ATTexasCoopPower.comFind more letters online in the Table of

Contents. Sign up for our

E-Newsletter for

monthly updates,

prize drawings

and more!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

ONLINE: TexasCoopPower.com/share

EMAIL: letters@TexasCoopPower.com

MAIL: Editor, Texas Co-op Power,1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701

Please include your town and electric co-op.Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

TexasCoopPower.com6 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

The Windup ...And the pitch: The state has too much wind to waste. So Texans are doing something about it.

More and more wind poweris being routed into Texas’electric grid. The prevalenceof wind sweeping the state’splains, mountains and coast-line, combined with publicpolicy and planning, hasmade the state a leader inwind energy generation.

With wind farm projects inabout 30 counties, Texas hasthe capacity to generatealmost 11,000 megawatts ofelectricity—more than anyother state in the U.S. andabout a quarter of the nation’sentire wind generation capac-ity, according to the AmericanWind Energy Association.

And on June 19, windfarms in the service territoryof the Electric ReliabilityCouncil of Texas, whosepower grid covers three-quarters of Texas, generateda record 8,368 MW, or 17.6percent of ERCOT’s totalpower demand at the time.

Despite setting records,the state’s installed windpower capacity is just a frac-

tion of its potential. Based onwind on land and in the Gulfof Mexico, where offshoreprojects are proposed, Texasranks No. 1 in the nation. Ifenough wind generationcapacity could be installed tocapture the abundance ofwind, its power could gener-ate 19 times Texas’ currentelectricity needs, accordingto the National RenewableEnergy Laboratory.

But before Texas can fullytake advantage of itsresources by adding morewind power generation facili-ties, transmission lines needto be built from wind-rich,remote areas—mainly, thePanhandle and West Texas—to major population centers.

The situation is creating a“chicken and egg” condition,said Terry Hadley, spokesmanfor the Public Utility Commis-sion of Texas. Some windpower developers are hesitantto build wind farms withouttransmission lines, he said,and transmission service

providers are hesitant to buildtransmission lines withoutwind farms.

To help solve the trans-mission issue, ERCOT hasidentified areas in the Pan-handle and North, West andCentral Texas with windenergy potential, and thePUC is overseeing construc-tion of transmission lines tothese areas, called Competi-tive Renewable EnergyZones, or CREZs. This way,the state can be prepared touse wind resources afterthey’re installed.

With the CREZ projects’expected completion aroundthe end of 2014, Texas ispoised to capture even morewind power. The PUC esti-mates that the maximumwind power transmitted onthe CREZs could increaseTexas’ current wind powercapacity to about 18,500 MW.

SUZANNE HABERMAN | STAFF WRITER

On TexasCoopPower.com See how wind stats stack up.

E N E R GY N E WS

CURRENTS Energy, innovation, people, places and events in Texas

25%

ILLU

STR

ATI

ON

S CA

RL

WIE

NS

As rapid population growth worldwide increases pressure on publicwater utilities, a Bolivian cooperative is leading the way in providing cleanwater and safe sewer systems. SAGUAPAC, the world’s largest urban watercooperative, serves about three-quarters of the 1.6 million people in SantaCruz de la Sierra. All collected wastewater is treated before beingreleased into local rivers, something not so common in Latin America.And the co-op provides water to remote locations that otherwisewould have no service.

2 01 2 I N T E R N AT I O N A L Y E A R O F CO O P E RAT I V E S

OF U.S. WIND ENERGY CANBE GENERATED IN TEXAS.

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 7

Texas Ranger Day and A Big Star Texas Night Dust off your cowboy boots and go get your kicks on Main Street in Bur-ton near Waco for Texas Ranger Day and A Big Star Texas Night onAugust 11. The whole family can experience what life was like in an 1880sTexas Ranger camp with two re-enactor groups sanctioned by theFormer Texas Ranger Association and Foundation. There alsowill be plenty of arts and crafts, games, folk-life demonstra-tions and a live auction. A fajita and bean cook-off starts withteam check-in at 3:30 p.m. For $10, attendees can sample thepopular Texas fare starting at 5:30 p.m.; the winners will bedetermined by people’s choice. Hang around after you stop by thehistoric train depot, because the street dance kicks off around 7 p.m. withNeil and the Real Deal. Gary P. Nunn takes the stage at 9 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: (979) 353-0050 | BURTONTEXAS.ORG

Ryan Paskewitz of Zephyr, son ofComanche Electric Cooperativemembers Curtis and Paula Paske-witz, is the grand prizewinner ofthe 2012 Co-op Teens Power Texasvideo contest.

Paskewitz’s entry, “Mr. Electric-ity,” features himself as a maskedsuperhero saving a woman, playedby Zephyr High School math teacherDena Peters, in great distress over ahigh electricity bill. The school’stechnology director, Terrell Hess, alsocollaborated on the video.

“It started out with just me andmy parents, and we were going tomake a video of me playing theguitar and singing a song about theco-op,” said Paskewitz, who isentering his junior year. “But thenMr. Hess suggested doing thesuperhero thing—one of the ruleswas to be creative and have youthappeal—and I thought it was a goodidea, and my mother agreed. I’mnot a superhero fan, but it was fun.”

In the video, Mr. Electricityadvises the audience to switch fromincandescent lightbulbs and an old

water heater to their more energy-efficient counterparts.

It didn’t take long for the goodnews to spread. One afternoon inmath class, someone broughtPaskewitz the phone. “It was mymom, and she was in an uproar.‘YOU WON, YOU WON,’ shescreamed,” said Paskewitz. “I waslike, ‘Wow.’ I didn’t know what tothink. I got the damsel in distress,and she was over the top. I told Mr.Hess. Thirty minutes later, the wholeschool knew. It was a ton of fun.”

As the winner of the video con-test, Paskewitz received $1,500,which he plans on using for a trip to

Japan. As the sponsoring school,Zephyr High will receive $1,000.

The contest, sponsored by TexasCo-op Power in conjunction withelectric co-ops across Texas, askedstudents in grades six through 12 tocreate a 30- to 60-second commer-cial promoting their respective elec-tric cooperative. To view Paskewitz’swinning video along with otherprize-winning videos, go toyoutube.com ⁄user ⁄ TXCOOPOWER.

ASHLEY CLARY-CARPENTER | FIELD EDITOR

Co-op People ideas?Send Co-op People ideas to editor@Texas CoopPower.com.

CO - O P P E O P L E

H A P P E N I N G S

Have No Fear, Mr. Electricity Is HereComanche EC Youth Wins $1,500 in Video Contest

Find more happenings all

across the state at TexasCoopPower

.com

W H O K N E W

Where is the heart of Texas? Well, everywhere onelooks, of course: From the Panhandle Plains to the Piney Woods, the Lone Star State brims withpride. But the real heart—geographically speaking,according to the TexasAlmanac—lies about 15miles northeast of Brady innorthern McCulloch County,east of San Angelo.

PHO

TO C

OU

RTE

SY R

YAN

PA

SKEW

ITZ

N

Water Is Life

TexasCoopPower.com8 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

Editor’s note: In this special issue, we explore our most precious resource—water. Starting with this introduction, we take close-up looks at the soberingrealities facing Texas. It’s no longer enough to simply be concerned aboutfuture water supplies, state officials and conservationists say. Drastic action isrequired now, starting with conservation, education and long-range plans. Isthere hope? Yes. But it takes everybody working together. Every drop counts.

NOT LONG AGO, I SPENT AN AFTERNOON WITH

David Baker, who lives near the headwatersof Cypress Creek in Hays County at a lovelyspring known as Jacob’s Well. Baker, origi-nally an artist, has spent most of his adultlife fighting to protect “the well,” as he calls

it, and to keep it flowing and nourishing the creek, one ofTexas’ most beautiful streams.

On the day we walked its banks, the creek was dry, andJacob’s Well had stopped flowing for only the second time inhistory. The first time was in 2000, and the trend is ominous.For Baker, the possibility that the next generation of Texanswill not have the opportunity to experience this iconic springand many others throughout the Texas Hill Country isunimaginable.

It could happen.Though the recent drought has helped to focus the atten-

tion of Texans on our water problems, to knowledgeableobservers, they have been developing for a long time. “You cango without cable TV. You can even go without air conditioning,but you can’t go without water,” says Tom Mason, former gen-eral manager of the Lower Colorado River Authority, one ofour state’s largest water providers.

The bottom line is that our population here in Texas is expected toalmost double in the next 50 years or so, and we have already given per-mission for more water to be withdrawn from many of our rivers andlakes than is actually in them.

Our vast system of reservoirs was built following the last bigdrought, the one we call “the drought of record” in the 1940sand 1950s. At that time, most Texans lived in small towns

supported largely by agriculture or on farms and ranches.Thus, the drought affected almost everyone directly. As aresult, we got serious and embarked on a massive reservoirconstruction program and initiated a water planning strategythat we still rely on today.

The 2012 edition of the state water plan from the Texas WaterDevelopment Board was compiled by 16 regional planning groupsacross the state and has a price tag of $53 billion for new waterinfrastructure. We clearly need to invest in providing water forour future. But even if we could come up with that kind of money,the reality of other noninfrastructure challenges suggests that wecannot simply build our way out of this predicament.

The stream along which Baker and I walked that day even-tually flows into the Blanco River. The Blanco originates inKendall County and winds its way to the Guadalupe River inHays County. On the way, much of its flow goes right back intothe ground from the riverbed. The water runs underground toJacob’s Well, where it comes back to the surface, formingCypress Creek, which flows down through the villages ofWoodcreek and Wimberley and back into the Blanco. The real-ity is that obtaining a permit from the state to remove waterfrom the river today would likely be impossible—but if youwanted to drill a hole and take it out of the ground aboveJacob’s Well, you would have little or no restrictions to keepyou from doing so.

Unfortunately, Texas law treats the same water differentlydepending on whether it is on the surface or underground. Thispractice is unsustainable and exacerbated by a recent TexasSupreme Court ruling, which declared that groundwater is theproperty of private landowners.

As stewards of more than 95 percent of the landscape in Texas,private landowners do have a huge role to play in our water future,and they are not getting much help. Texas loses rural and agricul-tural land faster than any other state, and this continued fragmen-tation of family lands is irrevocably impairing the function of ourwatersheds and aquifer recharge zones, as well as increasing non-point source pollution, which is runoff from agricultural fields,highways, parking lots and an increasingly paved-over countryside.

BY A N D R E W SA N S O M • P H OTO BY WO O DY W E LC H

And as stewards, we must protect our freshwater:We can’t build our way out of this predicament

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 9

We waste too much water.At home, we use as much as 70 per-

cent of our household drinking waterto irrigate our lawns, and much of thatis wasted. Before the water even gets toour residences, many Texas cities andwater utilities lose up to 25 or 30 per-cent of their water through leakingwater mains or otherwise poorly main-tained distribution systems. Thecheapest way for us to provide morewater for the future is to begin using itmore efficiently.

In this regard, most water rights inTexas are dedicated to agricultural usefor irrigation, and much of this useremains antiquated and inefficient. Theinefficiency magnifies a conundrum:While so much of our water is commit-ted to agriculture, a sector of our econ-omy that is basically flat, municipalgrowth is booming and thus producingthe greatest future demands for water.

Finally, though the Legislature in2007 established a process for protect-ing the aquatic ecosystems of ourrivers, streams, bays and estuaries byrequiring “environmental flow” stan-dards for each, implementation of thelaw has been spotty at best. Withoutgreater attention to the freshwaterrequirements of the environmentitself, our inland aquatic ecosystemsand extraordinary coastal resourcesare increasingly impaired.

Against this sobering backdrop, wecan celebrate some real successeswhere water is concerned. Our riversand streams are demonstrably cleanerthan they were a generation ago,thanks to passage and implementationof the Clean Water Act. In the area ofwater conservation, the cities of SanAntonio and El Paso have lowered theirconsumption of water per capita by afull 40 percent. On the landscape, thecities of Austin and San Antonio andHays County and other local governments have approved hun-dreds of millions of dollars in bonds to create conservationeasements on private lands in important watersheds andrecharge areas.

The bond money is used to compensate landowners inexchange for their agreement to a legal covenant that limitsdevelopment. The farmer or rancher retains ownership of theland, and a vital resource for the community is protected.

Back along Cypress Creek at this time of year, insects arehatching and swarming along the shore. If you are lucky, youcan observe the native sunfish slipping up to the bank and bat-ting vegetation with their tails, knocking their prey into the

water so they can feed. Such experiences can only leave onewith a deep sense of respect for the living freshwater of Texasand the understanding that we are its stewards on behalf ofboth the economy and the environment of future generations.

Water is life.

Andrew Sansom, executive director of the River Systems Institute at TexasState University in San Marcos, is one of Texas’ leading conservationists andauthor of Water In Texas: An Introduction (University of Texas Press, 2008).He is a former executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart-ment, executive director of the Texas Nature Conservancy and founder ofThe Parks and Wildlife Foundation of Texas.

Andrew Sansom grew up in Lake Jackson, near the Gulf Coast, whereexplorations of the Brazos River bottomland whetted his appetite forthe outdoors. Sansom has spent his entire life fighting to protectwater. That includes the San Marcos River, shown here, whose rushingcurrent beyond a dam comes courtesy of the prolific—and ecologicallyfragile—San Marcos Springs bubbling up outside his office at the TexasRivers Center.

It’s All theSame Water

TexasCoopPower.com10 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

WATER IS WATER, EXCEPT IN TEXAS. All of Texas’ freshwater comes from precipitation. Where it

goes when it falls makes all the difference in the world. Surface water, meaning creeks, rivers and lakes, is consid-

ered a public resource commonly owned by the people ofTexas. Simple enough.

Groundwater, that is all water that you can’t see below thesurface of the Earth, is a whole other matter. That water, con-tained in aquifers and bolsons (Spanish for “bag,” in this casemeaning hollowed basins), found tens, hundreds and sometimesthousands of feet below the surface, is regarded like oil or otherminerals—a resource owned by the owner of the land above it.

Got that?In 1904, the Texas Supreme Court determined in the Hous-

ton & T.C. Railway Co. v. East case that property owners couldpump as much groundwater as they pleased without regard tothe effects on neighbors’ wells. Groundwater, the court ruled,was too “secret, occult and concealed” to regulate. No oneunderstood how groundwater worked, so the court appliedrule of capture, a remnant of British common law, to the case.

In February 2012, the Texas Supreme Court’s ruling in theDay v. Edwards Aquifer Authority case affirmed that the prop-erty owner of the ground also owned the water under thatground.

The problem with both decisions is that groundwater doesnot observe property lines. Some aquifers are so large theyspan several counties. Some, hydrologists have learned overthe past century, are actually moving rivers. Plus, no matter

how groundwater moves, what’s clear is more water is beingpumped from underground than is being put back in throughrecharge.

That explains why other states in the American West havedeveloped different laws and strategies regarding manage-ment of groundwater. Texas is the only Western state whererule of capture is law. That may work well for property ownerswanting to sell their groundwater, or sell their mineral rights,but not so great for most of the rest of the population thatrelies on water as a life source.

Where water is abundant, rule of capture works fine,because whatever water is pumped out from underground isusually replenished. But in arid, water-short regions, such asall of the state west of the 98th parallel (roughly following U.S.Interstate 35), the devil’s in the details. Consider this: It’s perfectlylegal for a single landowner, taking advantage of his or her propertyrights, to drain so much groundwater that neighbors’ wells go dry or thegroundwater underneath their property disappears.

The most notorious case illustrating that point is when Clay-ton Williams Sr. and other businessmen pumped groundwaterbelow land they owned west of Fort Stockton to create a pecanorchard in the desert. Because of their actions, ComancheSprings, the largest springs in West Texas, went dry, forcingmore than 200 truck farms east of town to go under. Williams’right was upheld by the Texas Supreme Court in 1954.

The Texas court has since reaffirmed property owners’right to underground water; in 1999, the court upheld the rightof Ozarka to mine a spring in East Texas for commercial

BY J O E N I C K PATO S K I • P H OTO BY WO O DY W E LC H

Once deemed too ‘secret, occult and concealed’ toregulate, groundwater remains a vexing subjecttoo deep to capture for today’s lawmakers

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 11

purposes, even though it caused neighbors’ wells to go dry.The Texas Supreme Court’s decision in early 2012 affirmed

that Texas landowners own the groundwater “in place”beneath their property, and that they may have a valid claimfor compensation from the government if regulations go toofar in limiting their ability to capitalize on their groundwater.

Still, there are limits to unregulated pumping. The withdrawal rate of pumping groundwater from the

Ogallala Aquifer—one of the world’s largest undergroundaquifer systems that covers most of the Great Plains, includingthe Texas Panhandle and South Plains—has exceeded rechargeof the aquifer through rain and snowmelt over the past cen-tury. Parts of the water table in Texas have been drained, whileless than half of the underground aquifer’s original groundwater supply remains. Pumping costs have increased to the pointwhere many Texas farmers have quit irrigated farming altogether, evenif groundwater is available. In other words, pumping without regulationis unsustainable.

In 1993, Federal District Judge Lucius D. Bunton IIIordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to set pumping lim-its in the Edwards Aquifer—which at the time supplied SanAntonio with all its drinking water—to protect endangeredspecies dependent on the Comal and San Marcos springs, thebiggest spring systems in Texas.

“Without a fundamental change in the value the regionplaces on freshwater, a major effort to conserve and reuseAquifer water, and implemented plans to import supplemen-tal supplies of water, the region’s quality of life and economicfuture are imperiled,” Bunton wrote in his decision.

Bunton’s ruling led to the creation of the Edwards AquiferAuthority by the Texas Legislature. The authority regulatespumping from the Edwards Aquifer.

In 1997, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1, establish-ing statewide water planning for the next 50 years. The bill andsubsequent legislation have stated that the best means of localmanagement of groundwater are the 101 groundwater districts

established across the state. The rub afterthe Texas Supreme Court’s 2012 decision is,if a groundwater district or other govern-ment entity limits a landowner’s desire topump, the landowner can sue the district fora “taking” of private property.

“While the Texas Supreme Court’s rul-ing in the Day case makes clear thatlandowners own the groundwater in placebeneath their property, it is much less clearhow far a groundwater district may limitpumping before it amounts to a taking ofprivate property,” says attorney TomMason, the former general manager of theLower Colorado River Authority who nowspecializes in water law in Austin.

Which means groundwater districts,regional planning groups and state waterauthorities, in order to ensure sufficientwater supplies 50 years from now, will havea hard time managing groundwater in a waythat allows long-term, sustainable use by avariety of landowners⁄pumpers.

So, groundwater is a property right, andas such requires a whole lot of trust andawareness of the unwritten “law of thebiggest pump” when it comes to manage-ment of groundwater resources locally,regionally or statewide. Otherwise, if allproperty owners exercised their right topump, there wouldn’t be any groundwaterleft to fight over.

Surface water, on the other hand, isowned by all Texans, even though despite thedifferent laws, really, it’s all the same water.

Joe Nick Patoski is the author of nine books, includ-ing Generations on the Land: A Conservation Legacy(Texas A&M University Press, 2010). Patoski, an avidswimmer and kayaker, lives in Wimberley, in the HillCountry.

Water: It’s a deep subject, and veteran journalist Joe NickPatoski has been trying to get to the bottom of it for years.Spring-fed Jacob’s Well, his favorite swimming hole, sustainsthe Blanco River and recharges the Edwards Aquifer. But whileWimberley’s Jacob’s Well is threatened by drought andincreased pumping of the Trinity Aquifer, some homeowners innearby Austin have paid to have private wells drilled in theEdwards—not for drinking water, but for water to keep theirlawns lush and green.

Water For All?

TexasCoopPower.com12 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

‘Why worry? they said. It would rain this fall. It always had. Butit didn’t. And many a boy would become a man before the landwas green again.’

From THE TIME IT NEVER RAINED, by Elmer Kelton

ON A WARM APRIL MORNING NORTH OF SAN ANGELO, thick yellowwildflowers cover roadside ditches like luxurious rugs. But as

State Highway 208 winds toward the tiny town of Robert Lee,the eye snags on the inescapable: charred, dead trees standingsentry on hills still bald from vicious wildfires a year ago.

Inside City Hall, Robert Lee Mayor John Jacobs steps outof his office, offering a cheery, weatherproof grin beneath hishorsehoe moustache. Yes ma’am, come on in. You think he’d besick of the drill by now: For the past several months, major

Camille Story 4 ½ + Carol’s 1 ½= 6 [1-2]

BY C A M I L L E W H E E L E R • P H OTO S BY WO O DY W E LC H

If Texans don’t wake up to the realities of droughtand absolute musts of conservation, we’re goingto experience water shortages of epic proportions

That strange-looking contraption behind Robert Lee Mayor John Jacobsis a spillway—something that hasn’t been needed in a long time at E.V.Spence Reservoir, which sits almost empty in the wake of severedrought. The blue floodgates on the bottom of the spillway standabout 90 feet above what now is dry ground. Robert Lee came close torunning out of water, and other West Texas cities face the same threat.‘We were just the canary in the coal mine,’ Jacobs says.

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 13

media outlets—PBS, the Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, etc.—have been rolling into town to gawk at the cracked, parchedground of the huge, almost-empty E.V. Spence Reservoir that’sno longer helping supply water for half a million people,including the 1,050 residents of Robert Lee.

But Jacobs, a gentleman who removes his cowboy hatindoors, patiently chauffeurs visitors around town. He even leta German TV crew see that he wouldn’t get trampled whileslinging out range cubes for his cattle.

Like Charlie Flagg, the fictional protagonist in The Time ItNever Rained, the 66-year-old Jacobs is a multigenerationalrancher with deep West Texas roots. Both men call San Angelothe nearest big city. And both understand a fundamental truth:Water is life.

His cattle sold, Flagg’s character resorts to “burning pear,”burning the spines off prickly pear cacti for his Angora goats toeat during the prolonged drought of the 1950s.

During that same real-life drought, Jacobs was about 6when he learned to drive, working the clutch and stick shift ona Ford pickup. His father, walking behind the vehicle, burnedpear for his hungry cattle with a handheld torch connected byhose to a propane tank in the pickup bed.

Decades later in 2011, when record heat, fire and droughtscorched the land, Jacobs didn’t bother with the practice. Cactipears were so dry and shrunken, he says, his cattle wouldn’thave been interested.

Jacobs, who has downsized his herd from 80 to 30 mothercows, has endured his share of drought. But, he allows, he’d

never seen, or heard, anything like last year when big rocks—pow! he says, remembering the sound—exploded in pasturesduring hellishly hot wildfires. And nobody, he says, everdreamed of seeing the day when E.V. Spence—which at capac-ity holds 488,760 acre-feet, almost 160 billion gallons—wouldsit drained and useless, like a swimming pool in which some-body pulled the plug.

The Colorado River Municipal Water District, which ownsand operates E.V. Spence, stopped pumping from it in Septem-ber 2011. The district permitted Robert Lee, a longtime cus-tomer, to keep drawing water from the reservoir on its own,but by early 2012, the remaining water was too shallow andsalty for pumping.

So here it is April, and on this day, Robert Lee is pumpingand treating water from Mountain Creek Lake—essentially alarge stock tank in town, built around 1950—that once met allof Robert Lee’s water needs. Needless to say, residents are con-serving water. Nobody’s yard is green. And everybody’s count-ing the days until a 12-mile emergency water pipeline fromnearby Bronte is connected.

Yes, Jacobs says, E.V. Spence Reservoir is a depressing sight.But he ruefully smiles and grabs his hat and pickup keys. Comeon. I’ll drive you out there.

From an overlook, it’s hard to believe that the sprawlingbasin below, slowly being overtaken by tumbleweeds and saltcedar, was once a full, artificial lake. Over there, Jacobs says,gesturing toward a nearby cliff, is where his two sons, asteenagers, used to jump into the reservoir, plunging into water

There’s no escaping the discussion: From the Panhandle—big stretchesof which remained in extreme drought conditions at press time—to theRio Grande Valley, people are worried about water.

Not long ago, Texas Electric Cooperatives President/CEO MikeWilliams visited Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative in Hereford. Thescheduled conversation with President/General Manager Steve Louderand the co-op’s board of directors was about electricity. But theywound up talking about—you guessed it—drought and water.

More than 70 percent of the demand for the co-op’s power comesfrom irrigation pumping of the Ogallala Aquifer, which is being depletedfaster than it is being recharged. After last year’s record-setting drought,and in light of the declining water table, there’s a real question aboutwhether people can continue to make a living in some parts of thePanhandle.

It’s a dialogue, Williams says, in which the electric co-op modelplays a vital role. For 75 years, he says, co-ops have been in the life-improvement business, specifically by providing safe, reliable andaffordable electricity. Now, in the face of statewide water shortages,co-ops play critical roles as communication catalysts, bringingtogether public, private and governmental entities in search of the

answer to the big question: What can we do?For starters, Williams says, “Co-ops have walked the talk that we

really are in the quality-of-life business. We’re more than invested.We’re not going anywhere. There’s no us and them—we’re all in thistogether.”

Co-ops, Williams says, care about people as members, friends andneighbors. “Electric cooperatives, their directors, their staffs, the peo-ple who work there—they live in those communities,” he says. “Theirfuture as an electric cooperative is inextricably tied to the health andwelfare of those communities. They care about whether the water runsout or not because if it does, then maybe those communities don’tcontinue to exist.”

In Hereford, the discussion focused on risk management related towater, the region’s economic engine. If the Ogallala’s level continues tosteadily drop, the growth and welfare of the entire region will beaffected. Without water, Louder says, farmers will have to start grow-ing dryland crops or change occupations—or even move away.

“But the members of Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative are resource-ful, and we will work together with them to make whatever adjust-ments we must,” Louder says.

‘We’re All in This Together’Electric co-ops to members: We won’t leave you high and dry

TexasCoopPower.com14 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

so deep they never worried about hitting bottom.Today, from that same cliff, it’s almost a straight 100-foot-

plus drop to a dry beach of scrub brush and rocks. You couldrappel down and start walking all the way across the bottom ofthe barren lake bed between shallow pools in which ducksnonchalantly swim.

Jacobs stares across the desolate expanse, rememberingbass fishing tournaments held here and boats so thick on thewater you couldn’t stir ’em with a stick. Now the reservoir is askeleton, with its bones—reddish, rocky earth—exposed.“That,” a grim-faced Jacobs says, “is the picture of drought.”

‘We’re Running Out of Water’AND THIS IS THE PICTURE OF FEAR: On May 21, Mountain CreekLake was down to about its last 8 inches. On May 22, RobertLee—desperately pumping the last drops from what hadbecome an emaciated pond—started receiving piped waterfrom its neighbor, Bronte.

“We cut it close,” Jacobs dryly understates. What’s happen-ing in West Texas is a wake-up call: Water shortages, say statewater officials and conservationists, could happen anywhere

in the state. We’re all in the same boat. “People tell me to quittalking about it,” Jacobs says, “but we’re running out of water.”

The Robert Lee mayor gets no argument from the TexasWater Development Board, whose 2012 state water plan (see“Water for Texas,” Page 16) sounds the alarm: During times ofdrought, the state does not have enough existing water supplies.

It’s an ominous projection on many levels, including thisone: More than 11,000 megawatts of Texas electric power gen-eration rely on cooling water from lakes and reservoirs at his-torically low levels, according to a 2011 drought impact reportfrom the state comptroller’s office. Without sufficient rainfall,that capacity could be jeopardized.

“You can’t run a modern society without electricity,” saysState Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon, who comparesTexas’ water woes to the calm before the 2005 storm of Hurri-cane Katrina, when experts agreed that New Orleans’ leveesystem was insufficient—and no one reinforced it. “Nobody’swilling to do it until, whoops, catastrophe,” he says.

“And that’s what it might take for this state,” Nielsen-Gammon continues. “We might actually have to have an urbanarea run out of water or have major blackouts for people to

As San Antonio water officials and city council members lookon, Superintendent Art Ruiz explains how El Paso’s Kay BaileyHutchison Desalination Plant converts brackish water to freshdrinking water. The concentrate—the byproduct waste producedduring desalination—is piped underground to wells andinjected 4,000 feet deep into dolomite rock formations thatprevent migration to fresh aquifer water. The facility is drawingglobal interest, including from San Antonio, which plans tobring a desalination plant online in 2016.

SHORT-TERM TRAININGFOR LONG-TERM GOALS

Penn Foster also offers training in some of today’s fastest-growingcareers such as: Veterinary Technician, HVAC Technician, Optician,Physical Therapy Aide, and Pharmacy Technician.‡

Affordable and Convenient. With Penn Foster, your tuition covers alllearning materials, including books, study guides, and learning aids.We offer 0% financing and customized payment plans.

All your learning materials are delivered right to you, and you can studyonline, in print, or a combination of both. You decide which methodsuits your learning style and how quickly to complete your coursework.

Supported. You work independently, but not alone. Expert instructorsand a helpful support staff are just a phone call, message board, oremail away. And you can interact online with other students throughthe Penn Foster Community.

Accredited. Penn Foster is nationally accredited by the AccreditingCommission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).Penn Foster Career School and High School are regionally accreditedby the Commission on Secondary Schools of the Middle StatesAssociation of Colleges and Schools. Penn Foster College is licensedby the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education.

Career Services. Graduates receive, FREE OF CHARGE, one-on-onehelp from a CareerBuilder® professional resume writer. Plus, eachregistered user will receive personalized recommendations on localjob opportunities based on his/her profile.

For professionals already working in the field, Penn Fosteroffers Certificate programs to enhance their skill sets.

For more information on our Certificate programs,go to www.PennFoster.edu.

‡ “Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition,” a publication of the U.S. Department of Labor. Individual student earnings vary based on experience. Growth figures represent a ten-year period ending 2020.

To start today or to request your FREE information:

1-800-572-1685 ext. 7260Call anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Or visit www.PennFoster.eduOnline enter ID# AKKS82T

Learn the skills you need with online training from Penn Foster.In a matter of months, you can qualify for some of today’s profitable careers such as:

Administrative Assistant — $43,500‡

Hotel/Restaurant Management — $46,900‡

Residential Electrician — $48,300‡

Web Page Designer — $80,250‡

Computer Graphic Artist — $43,500‡

Plumber — $46,700‡

Caterer — $40,600‡

CAREER DIPLOMA PROGRAMSTrades� 72 Appliance Repair� 384 Furniture & Cabinet Maker� 515 Green Building Practices†

� 15 Home Inspector� 145 Home Remodeling &

Repair� 14 HVAC Technician� 102 Landscaping Technology� 151 Plumber� 06 Residential ElectricianHealth� 443 Certified Personal Trainer� 03 Child Day Care Mgmt.� 413 Child Psychology†

� 24 Dental Assistant� 519 Holistic Planet†� 23 Medical Administrative

Assistant� 381 Medical Coding

and Billing

� 39 Medical Transcriptionist� 383 Occupational Therapy Aide� 464 Optician� 84 Pharmacy Technician� 146 Physical Therapy Aide� 470 Substance Abuse Counselor� 88 Veterinary AssistantFinance/Business� 390 Bookkeeping� 465 Legal Transcriptionist� 08 Paralegal� 70 Small Business Mgmt.High School� 07 Penn Foster High SchoolTechnology� 105 Computer Graphic Artist� 492 Computer Support

Technician� 54 Drafting with AutoCAD®

� 79 Electronics Technician� 27 PC Maintenance and Repair� 83 Web Page Designer

Mechanics� 04 Auto Repair Technician� 55 Diesel Mechanics� 33 Motorcycle Repair

Technician� 89 Small Engine RepairOther Exciting Programs� 13 Administrative Assistant� 104 Carpenter� 59 Caterer� 160 Certified Wedding Planner� 395 Dog Obedience Trainer/

Instructor� 42 Dressmaking & Design� 30 Floral Design� 25 Gunsmith� 05 Hotel/Restaurant Mgmt.� 12 Interior Decorator� 09 Legal Secretary� 468 Pet Grooming†

� 58 Private Investigator� 31 Professional Locksmithing� 26 Teacher Aide� 35 Travel and Tourism Specialist� 22 Wildlife & Forestry

Conservation†Certificate Program

Please send me FREE information on the Career School or College program I have selected above.No obligation. Choose ONE only.

Name _____________________________________________________________ Age ________

Street ___________________________________________________________ Apt. # ________

City/State _______________________________________________________ Zip ____________

Phone ( ) ______________________ Email ________________________________________

Mail coupon to Student Service Center,* Dept. AKKS82T, 925 Oak Street, Scranton, PA 18515-0700.* Under contract with Penn Foster College, AZ

ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS� 61 Accounting� 60 Business Management� 418 Computer Information Systems � 498 Construction Technology � 406 Criminal Justice� 405 Early Childhood Education

� 463 Fashion Merchandising� 81 Finance� 407 Graphic Design� 516 Health Care Management� 412 Human Resources

Management

� 502 Industrial Electronics and ElectricalMaintenance Technology

� 514 Interior Design� 80 Marketing� 401 Paralegal Studies� 408 PC Maintenance

Technology� 456 Retail Management� 396 Veterinary Technician

547G

PENN FOSTER CAREER SCHOOL925 Oak Street, Scranton, PA 18515

www.PennFoster.edu

PENN FOSTER COLLEGEAdministrative Office

14300 N. Northsight Blvd., Suite 120, Scottsdale, AZ 85260www.PennFosterCollege.edu

TUITION ASSISTANCEPLAN AVAILABLE!

TexasCoopPower.com16 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

recognize that this is something important enough that it hasto be dealt with, not just on paper, but in practice.”

‘Drought Happens’PERHAPS NOTHING BETTER ILLUSTRATES water officials’ frustra-tions than the tongue-in-cheek “hydro-illogic” cycle being cir-culated at closed-door meetings. The chart describes people’sperceived attitudes toward weather: drought—concern; severedrought—panic; rain—apathy.

As of June, much of the state had received above-averagerainfall for the year, but some of the highest amounts fell in theDallas, Houston and San Antonio metropolitan areas, Nielsen-Gammon says, tending to steer public perception toward afalse conclusion: Everything is nice and green here, so thedrought must be over.

Yet in early summer, more than half of Texas remained indrought conditions, with three areas suffering the most: theBig Bend region, the extreme western portion of the Panhan-dle, and a triangle formed by Abilene, Childress and Lubbock.You’d better believe those people know where water comesfrom. Meanwhile, there are those who don’t have a clue:

• Years ago, in response to the TWDB’s annual water-usesurvey, one mayor mailed back his responses with a politelystated letter: “We do not use ground or surface water. Ourwater comes from a water tower.”

• In 2011, as Texas’ drought became severe, the TWDBreceived several phone calls from individuals wanting toknow—seriously—where the state’s water pipeline was andhow they could tap into it.

If only it worked that way—someone could just wave amagic wand over Texas’ driest spots and render them lush andgreen. Instead, we’re left with cold-hearted science: Mostwater planners use what’s considered the state’s drought ofrecord—a six- or seven-year period starting in 1950, dependingon location—as a worst-case scenario. But a study publishedlast year in the Texas Water Journal is making officials rethinkthat conclusion. Research of tree rings—bald cypress in SouthCentral Texas, Douglas fir in West Texas and post oak in Cen-tral Texas—indicates that several extended droughts werelonger and⁄or more intense than the 1950s dry spell.

Further, note the study’s authors—from the University ofArkansas, the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority and The Uni-versity of Texas—Texas has suffered severe decadal-scaledroughts at least once a century since the 1500s. The authorsdon’t mince words: “When water managers consider pastdroughts, population growth, and climate change, it becomeshighly probable that the future poses unprecedented challenges.”

In other words, even as we put the horrific images of 2011behind us, it can still get worse. Or, as Nielsen-Gammon says:“Drought Happens,” the slogan the state climatologist jokesabout putting on a T-shirt.

To some urbanites, the idea of a reservoir—or a town—runningout of water is simply unfathomable. By way of education,Nielsen-Gammon likens drought to a child maturing intoadulthood: The longer an extreme dry spell lasts, the morestrength it gains. It takes years for reservoirs to fill up, and ittakes years for them to go down. In semi-arid areas, such asWest Texas, reservoir levels can drop each successive year,until finally, if the drought doesn’t break, they hit bottom.

To be fair, plenty of Texans comprehend drought. Andmany people understand that, depending upon where theylive, water comes from aquifers, rivers, reservoirs and, ofcourse, the sky. But, as Robert Lee’s Jacobs reminds: “Only thegood Lord can make it rain.”

Water from WaterFLYING INTO EL PASO, gazing out the window at the desert floorcoming into sharper view, it suddenly seems unwise to relin-quish a plastic cup of ice as we start our descent. Save for scat-tered shrubs and cacti whose coloring blends with thechalky-brown dirt below, the bleak terrain offers few signs oflife. No green. No water for miles and miles and miles.

As the plane’s landing gear unfolds, and the flight atten-dants swoop down the aisle to scoop up drinks, finished or not,it’s hard to let go. Just looking at the desert is enough to makeone thirsty. But a quiet chuckle comes: As a visitor to El Paso,it’s easy to succumb to hyperbolic thinking. Water, after all, iswhat brought this reporter here.

Water. Cold, precious water that’s being saved, reclaimed, pro-tected and transformed in this far West Texas city tucked into thenorthern corner of the Chihuahuan Desert where the averageannual rainfall of 8.8 inches is more than 20 inches below thenorm around much of the state.

Yet in what approximates a modern-day miracle, El Paso

‘Water for Texas’The Texas Water Development Board’s 2012 proposal, called “Waterfor Texas,” requests $53 billion from the Legislature to cover capitalcosts. The message to state lawmakers, who convene for regular ses-sion in January, is this: “In serious drought conditions, Texas does notand will not have enough water to meet the needs of its people, itsbusinesses and its agricultural enterprises.”

Here’s a snapshot:• Texas’ population: Projected to increase 82 percent by 2060.• Total existing water supplies: Projected to decrease about 10 per-cent; groundwater supplies projected to decrease about 30 percent.• Without new water-supply projects: Texas is projected to be 8.3million acre-feet (1 acre-foot equals 325,851 gallons) short by 2060.• Recommended volumes of total water management strategies by2060: Conservation and reuse, one-third; infrastructure for existingwater supplies (i.e., new pipelines), one-third; and water-supplydevelopment (including new reservoirs, brackish water and seawaterdesalination, aquifer storage and recovery), one-third.• Shifting water needs: By 2060, municipal needs—not agriculturalirrigation, the current biggest user—will represent the largest share ofTexas’ total water demand.• Recommendations to Legislature include: Construction of 26 addi-tional major reservoirs (storage capacity of 5,000 acre-feet or more)projected to produce 1.5 million acre-feet of water by 2060; elimina-tion of restrictions on transference of surface water from one riverbasin to another.

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 17

Hard-packed, fractured stretches of bone-dry earth and pale, cloudless skies withmonths of unrelenting heat isn’t exactly anappropriate backdrop for a conversationabout rainwater harvesting.

Or is it?Sanjeev Kalaswad, rainwater harvesting

coordinator with the Texas Water Develop-ment Board, thinks it’s just the right contextfor enlightening Texans about collectingand storing rainwater. The severity of ongo-ing drought in some parts of the state pitsus in a stare-down with our worst fears:What if we run out of water?

Kalaswad offers a bit of consolation:“Even during a drought we get some rain,”he says. And even if it’s less than an inch, ora weak drizzle, a surprising amount of watercan be collected with the right system, hesays.

No matter when you decide to install arainwater collection system, it’s a prettysafe bet that over time you will reap thebenefits. Although the size and complexityof collection systems run the gamut between a few barrels connected toa downspout, and massive, multithousand-gallon concrete tanks fedwith a network of pipes, the basic principle is the same: Use the roof ofyour house or some other building to channel rainwater into a mainartery hooked to a cistern, or water storage vessel.

Under average conditions, it’s possible to harvest 620 gallons ofrainwater for every inch of rain that falls on a 1,000-square-foot roof. Ina 2006 report to the Texas Legislature, the Texas Rainwater HarvestingEvaluation Committee stated, “Approximately 38 billion gallons of waterwould be conserved annually if 10 percent of the roof area in Texas couldbe used for rainwater harvesting.”

A great success story comes from the Hill Country: When BanderaElectric Cooperative members John Kight and his wife, Mary Evelyn,started construction on their Boerne home in 2000, they installed a rain-water collection system to support their total water needs, from akitchen faucet to an outdoor sprinkler. “It would have cost $26,000 todig a well, and the water had sulfur and iron in it and was very hard,”said Kight, a retired civil engineer. “It tasted bad.”

He did the numbers. For $14,500, he could build a 30,000-gallonrainwater harvesting system that would sustain the couple throughscant rainfall.

Kight’s rainwater collection system has been operating since 2001and has not run dry. In the meantime, Kight has become a rainwater-harvesting evangelist and conducts regular workshops on the subjectat the Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne. He helped lobby the Legislature

to allow local taxing authorities to exempt all or part of the assessedvalue of property used for rainwater conservation systems, provide salestax exemptions for rainwater harvesting equipment and materials, andprevent homeowners’ associations from banning rainwater harvestingsystems.

At the height of the 2011 drought in August, Kight had recorded one-one-hundredth of an inch of rainfall, with 21,150 gallons of water left inthe 40,500-gallon capacity system. (Kight added five tanks after 2001.)In that same month, he and Mary Evelyn used an average of 44 gallonsof potable and 42 gallons of nonpotable water per day. Kight notes thatthe average national water use is 60 gallons per person daily, but rain-water harvesters typically use only 35 gallons a day per person.

Rainwater, free of the minerals usually present in groundwater, cutsdown on housekeeping, too. There’s no calcium buildup around the tubor the kitchen sink. The dishwasher doesn’t get clogged with mineraldeposits, the coffeemaker doesn’t need a vinegar bath, and you canpour plain tap water into the steam iron.

But there’s something else that’s even better. Kight dips his hand intothe refrigerator’s icemaker and presents a palm full of small, crystal-clearice cubes. He puts them in a sparkling glass and fills it with tap water. It’spure and cool, like liquid satin on the tongue. Water never tasted so good.

Carol Moczygemba, executive editor

On TexasCoopPower.com More about rainwater harvesting.

Save It for a Sunny DayEven during drought, rainwater harvesting is more than a drop in the bucket

BY C A R O L M O C Z YG E M B A

John Kight knows every detail of the construction, thehydraulic science, the biological environment and the precisemeasurement of what goes in and out of his 11 forest-green,polypropylene water tanks every day.

TexasCoopPower.com18 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

officials proudly point to the statistics: Since 1991, when itswater conservation ordinance was enacted, El Paso projects ithas saved more than 231 billion gallons of water. And througha diverse conservation and water management program, thecity estimates it is saving almost 19 billion gallons a year.

No, you can’t change the desert. But, says Ed Archuleta,president and CEO of the El Paso Water Utilities Public Serv-ice Board, you can change the culture. What that meant in1989, when Archuleta arrived in El Paso to oversee the depart-ment, was the start of an aggressive conservation program anda 50-year water management plan designed to protect thecity’s primary water sources: the Hueco and Mesilla bolsons,or aquifers; and the Rio Grande, whose flow relies on seasonalsnowmelt from Colorado and New Mexico mountains.

That foresight has yielded remarkable results: Per one ofthe city’s slogans—“Water shouldn’t only be used once!”—ElPasoans use more than 2 billion gallons of reclaimed effluent(treated wastewater) each year, including for industrial use,golf course and residential property irrigation, and power-generation cooling at El Paso Electric.

And then there’s a magnetic message—making water fromwater—that’s attracting researchers from around the globe,including desert countries such as Saudi Arabia, to the $91 mil-lion Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant. The world’slargest such inland facility has the capacity to produce 27.5million gallons of freshwater a day, boosting the El Paso WaterUtilities’ daily freshwater production by 25 percent.

Hutchison, a U.S. senator who lives in Dallas, helped secure $26million in federal funding for the plant, the largest project of itskind involving the U.S. Department of Defense and a community.It serves El Paso, which owns the facility, and Fort Bliss, an Armypost that owns the land. In 2011, more than 734 million gallonsfrom the plant were blended into Fort Bliss’ freshwater supply.

Through reverse osmosis, a process in which pressurized rawwater passes through fine membranes, separating salts and othercontaminants, the plant turns salty brackish water pumped fromthe Hueco Bolson into drinkable water. The permeate, thedesalted water, is blended into daily freshwater supplies.

The concentrate—the water containing everythingremoved during desalination—is pumped 22 miles under-ground to solar-powered deep-well injection sites on FortBliss property surrounded by open desert.

It’s a win-win-win situation: For El Paso, for Fort Bliss andfor the Hueco Bolson, in which pumping captures the flow ofbrackish water toward freshwater wells. The aquifer was drop-ping 1 ½ to 3 feet a year by the early 1990s. Now, incredibly,despite drought and little rain runoff, it is stable and at 1960slevels thanks to conservation efforts, city officials say.

“Show me an aquifer that’s been depleted and is now recov-ering or at least stable,” Archuleta says. “I don’t think you’llfind too many.”

On a mid-April morning inside the desalination plant, thepleasant hum of electric generator units sounds like a water-fall. Standing beside rows of gleaming, stainless steel-encasedmembranes, Plant Superintendent Art Ruiz fills two paper-cone cups beneath spigots. “Go ahead and tell me what it tasteslike,” he says.

Timid sip. Hmmm … it’s uh … pretty good. Is this a trick?Ruiz smiles, handing over the second cup. “Now, with your

finger, taste that.” Whoa! WAY salty. Yep, that’s the concen-trate. And the first cup was the permeate. Amazing. It tastedjust fine.

Innovation. Conservation. Reclamation. Education. Diver-sification of water strategies, Archuleta says, is what keeps ElPaso afloat. Too many cities, he muses, suffer from short-termthinking: The drought’s over, it’s raining, we can put waterissues on the back burner. “If you continue that fallacy, it’llburn you after a while,” he says.

Take a lesson from the water experts: “El Paso,” Archuletasays, “always has a plan.”

Camille Wheeler, former associate editor

On TexasCoopPower.com “It’s culture shock out here,” Manager John Grant says as reservoirs go dryand the Colorado River Municipal Water District runs out of surface water.

You can’t make it rain, but in Texas, you can make water: The state has40 active brackish-water desalination plants, and construction of a seawaterdesalination facility is scheduled to start in 2013 on South Padre Island.

History bluntly indicates that drought will hit us hard, time and again. Sowhat gives? The answer: We do. Two huge cities—Dallas and San Antonio—show us how to save water.

Every Drop Counts“Landscaping,” says Ed Archuleta, president and CEO of El PasoWater Utilities, “is not a requirement for living.” So should we stopgrooming our green lawns? Not necessarily—but we should besmarter about how we grow grass and consider switching to water-friendly xeriscaping, which isn’t just for the desert. Consider cultivat-ing these conservation tips designed to save you water—and money:

Indoors Texans can save at least 20 gallons per day simply by installingwater-efficient fixtures and repairing leaks.• Toilets can account for 30 percent of home water use. Replace old toi-lets with high-efficiency ones (less than 1.3 gallons per flush) and fix toi-let leaks, which can waste up to 200 gallons of water per year.• To check for leaks, turn off all faucets and water-using appliances, thenrecord the water-meter reading. After 20 minutes, if no water has beenused and the reading has changed, a leak exists somewhere.• Run the dishwasher and washing machine only when full.• Use a water-efficient showerhead.

Outdoors Summer outdoor water use can account for up to 80 per-cent of total residential water use.• To prevent evaporation: Don’t water when it’s windy; water lawnsearly in the morning during summer heat; and use drip-irrigationsystems for bedded plants, trees and shrubs.• Grow drought-tolerant grass, such as Turffalo (a hybrid buffalograss developed by Texas Tech University), Bermuda, buffalo andzoysia.• When running the sprinkler, set an empty tuna-fish can upright inthe yard. When the can is full, the grass has received enough water.• Don’t hose off sidewalks or driveways—use a broom.

A wise in his ways cowboy once said, “where there’s a horseshoe, a horse can’t be far away”. This well-reasoned notion is behind our “Spirit of the West” Black Sapphire Horseshoe Ring. It boldly states in every aspect of its custom design that, just like a cowboy is rarely sepa-rated from his saddle, he can never really be torn from the true spirit of his proud Western heritage.

Handcrafted in solid sterling silver, the ring features a lucky horseshoe gleaming with the intrigue of 12 genuine black sapphires. A Western star anchors the horseshoe and is framed by a longhorn, both plated in 24K gold. The sides are decorated as well with raised-relief Western images—a cowboy hat and boots on one side and a bucking bronco on the other—plated in 24K gold and set against a background with the look of tooled leather.

With its own custom case and a Certifi cate of Authenticity, this exclusive ring is an exceptional value at $199*, and you can pay for in 5 installments of $39.80. To reserve yours, backed by our 120-day guarantee, respond as soon as possible!

www.bradfordexchange.com/westring

LIMITED-TIME OFFER—ORDER NOW!

For your convenience call us toll-free at

1-866-768-6517Phone orders mention offer code: 01-13441-001-XXXXXX

Or, shop online at

www.bradfordexchange.com/westring

Enlarged to show details

YES. Please reserve the “Spirit of the West” Black Sapphire Horseshoe Ring for me as described in this announcement.

Mrs. Mr. Ms. Name (Please Print Clearly)

Address

City State Zip

E-Mail (Optional)

01-13441-001-E54801

P.O. Box 806, Morton Grove, IL 60053-0806

RESERVATION APPLICATION SEND NO MONEY NOW

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED

To assure a proper fi t, a ring sizer will be sent to

you after your reservation has been accepted.

*Plus $9.98 shipping and service. Please allow 4-6 weeks after initial payment for shipment of your jewelry. Sales subject to product availability and order acceptance.

A Fine Jewelry Exclusivefrom The Bradford Exchange

A handcrafted custom design

Solid sterling silver

12 distinctive black sapphires

Rich 24K gold plating

A bold look from any angle

Comes in a custom presentation case

©2011 BGE 01-13441-001-BI2

LIMITED-TIME OFFER—ORDER NOW!

It’s easy to get caught up in the rushof late summer harvesting, but don’tforget about safety.

Portable grain augers, oversizedwagons, combines and other tall orcumbersome equipment could comein contact with overhead powerlines, creating an electrocutionthreat to those on the groundnearby—as well as the operator—ifproper steps aren’t taken. Alwayslower a portable grain auger or ele-vator before you move it, even ifonly a few feet. As a general rule,keep all objects at least 10 feet awayfrom overhead lines.

Be extra careful when workingaround trees and brush; they oftenmake it difficult to see power lines.

Your electric cooperative encour-ages you to plan to harvest safely.For more ways to stay safe on andoff the farm, visit safeelectricity.org.

Think SafetyDuring Harvest

Do-it-yourself offers a great way to save money and learn new skills. But beforeyou tackle that home improvement project you saw online or on TV, practicethese safety measures to avoid injury while getting game-winning results.

Score points with safety equipmentJust like a helmet and pads are required on a football field, safety items are essentialfor DIY tasks. Read and follow directions on every power tool you use. Wearing eye andear protection and gloves, as well as tying back loose hair and securing loose clothing,are all important to keeping you safe. If renting a tool, ask the store staff for safety tips.

Look up, down, and all aroundFor outside projects, first check the area where you will be working. Identify poten-tial hazards and take time to avoid or correct any problems. Don’t forget to look upfor power lines and avoid using long poles or ladders within 10 feet of overhead wires.If power tools are needed, be sure everything is in good working order.

Will your project involve any digging? Call 811 before you dig, even if you thinkyou know where underground lines may be. The 811 service will mark all under-ground lines in your area free of charge before you start work.

Avoid the blitzWater and electricity don’t mix, so avoid running cords through wet areas. Inspectcords for fraying or damage before use, and be sure outlets can handle any extra loadfrom power tools. Overloading outlets can lead to more than a shock: Fire hazardsmay result from demanding too much from an electrical system.

Be honest with yourselfIf a job seems like it might be too much to handle, leave it to a professional. Take intoconsideration heavy lifting, expensive tools that will be used only once, and whether youreally have the time. That way, you won’t be tempted to skip safety measures.

For more safety advice, visit safetyathome.com. Kelly Trapnell writes for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Tackle Home Projects SafelyBY KELLY TRAPNELL

A little sweat equity in home improvementprojects can cut the costs—but only if youplan ahead and do the work safely.©

ISTO

CKPH

OTO

TexasCoopPower.com20 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

Electric Notes

CONSERVATION AND SAFETY INFORMATION

10 TIPS FOR

Big Summer Savings1 RAISE YOUR THERMOSTAT TO 78 DEGREES OR HIGHER. This is the No. 1 way to

conserve energy.

2 WHEN YOU ARE AWAY FROM HOME FOR MORE THAN EIGHT HOURS, RAISE THE THERMOSTAT SETTING and expect to see a 1 percent savings for each

degree of setback.

3 KEEP WINDOW SHADES CLOSED WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. Sunnywindows account for 40 percent of unwanted indoor heat and can make your

air conditioner work considerably harder.

4 CHECK AND CLEAN FILTERS. Cleaning and replacing air conditioner filtersmonthly allows the system to run more efficiently.

5 INSTALL CEILING FANS. Moving air over the body provides a cooling effect. The use of ceiling fans can mean savings of about 25 percent on cooling costs

and make the temperature seem 10 degrees cooler. Just remember, fans cool people, not rooms, so turn them off when leaving the room for an extendedperiod of time.

6 MAKE SURE CEILING FANS ARE BLOWINGDOWN. Most fans have a switch to

change the fan direction. Make sure ceilingfans are blowing downward (in a counter-clockwise direction) to send air past yourbody to make you feel cooler.

7 RUN HIGH ENERGY-USING APPLIANCES LATEIN THE EVENING. Use the dishwasher and clothes

washer after 7 p.m. When used during the day, theseappliances produce additional heat, causing your airconditioner to work harder.

8 USE COLD WATER TO WASHDISHES AND CLOTHES. This will

save on water heating costs.

9 UNPLUG EQUIPMENT WHEN IT ISNOT IN USE. Electric chargers,

televisions and audio⁄video equip-ment use electricity and produceheat even when not in use. Runningan older refrigerator can use up to three times the energy of a modern one.

10 TURN LIGHTS OFF WHEN EXITING A ROOM. Consider replacingincandescent bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lightbulbs.

And remember to recycle CFLs.

Ceiling fans are a great way to staycool and save money. Just make surethey’re blowing the right direction:Down in the summer, up in the winter.

ISTO

CKPH

OTO

If you have a car accident that involvesa utility pole and fallen power lines,don’t get out of your car.

Instead, stay inside and use your cellphone to call 911. If you don’t haveyour phone with you, yell for help untilsomeone else agrees to make the emer-gency call.

The reason: Until an electric utilityline crew reaches you and de-energizesthe power line, you have to assume thewire is “live” and can electrocute youand your passengers. Wait for the OKfrom the pros before touching anythingoutside of your car.

Of course, if your car catches on fire,you’ll need to get out in a hurry. In thatcase, jump out so you land on both feetas far away from your car as possible.Hop—don’t walk—away from the car,making sure that both feet touch theground at the same time with each hop.

Do not touch the utility pole, any util-ity wire or anything that’s touching oreven close to a utility line. Assume every-thing is energized with electricity that canharm or even kill you if you touch it.

CRASH!What to do if youhit a utility pole

©IS

TOCK

PHO

TO.C

OM

/PLE

ASU

REO

FAR

T

If your vehicle hits a utility pole orpower line, stay put and call 911.

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 21

TexasCoopPower.com22 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

The LanguageOf Whales

Natasha, a 1,300-pound beluga whale,glides to where I stand in thigh-highwater on the edge of an 18-foot-deeptraining pool at SeaWorld San Antonio.From 3 feet away, she raises her massivewhite head and sprays chilly saltwaterover my wetsuit-encased body. Sputter-ing, I give the hand signal for Natasha todive and circle back to me. Her quickresponse means she understands. I’mtalking to a whale!

In the Beluga Interaction Program,Natasha’s reward is a fistful of restau-rant-quality herring when she does asrequested. I interpret her high-pitchedwhistles and squeaks as pride in herachievement—and her desire for fish, ofcourse.

A few minutes’ acquaintance with achatty beluga whale validates the species’nickname, “canary of the seas.” Belugas,which hear at higher frequencies thanhumans, make at least 11 different vocal-izations by emitting sounds through theirblowholes. In the pool, we communicatewith visual cues, using a sign languagethat the whales learn through “successiveapproximation training.” That trainingbreaks down a whale’s behavior (noddingits head, floating on its back, racingaround the pool) into baby steps, saysShirlee Crandall, technical senior trainerfor the program.

“We make it enjoyable for them sothey want to do it, so they are choosing toparticipate. Just like kids, they learn thesmall, easy behaviors first,” Crandall says.Every time a whale responds correctly toa command, the behavior is reinforced,

usually with a batch of whole fish. Train-ing and social interaction are voluntaryon the whales’ part. If they don’t want todo what is requested, or don’t understanda command, at the end of the day they stillget their full ration of fish, which runsbetween 20 and 75 pounds, depending onbody weight.

For effective training, Crandallexplains, it’s important to learn the prefer-ences of each whale. In addition to fish,whales learn to enjoy other forms ofpraise, such as belly rubs, splashes andwhale toys, such as balls. The 12-year-oldLuna, for example, really likes to play withtoys. Natasha, meanwhile, rarely does.

An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 belu-gas swim in the Arctic and subarcticwaters off Alaska, Greenland and Canada,although their numbers are threatenedby several factors, including water pollu-tants and commercial hunting. Charcoalgray at birth, belugas turn whiter with age(thereby blending with ice as a camou-flage against predators) and can grow to16 feet long and about 3,000 pounds on amain diet of fish, squid and crabs.

SeaWorld’s eight belugas swim in 2.5million gallons of chilly 58-degree saltwa-ter. The whales range in age from Natashaand Martha, in their 30s—belugas can live50 years—to 2-year-old baby Atla, one ofnine belugas born in San Antonio over thepast two decades. Every day, year-round,each beluga participates in four to eightlearning, play and exercise sessions underthe guidance of nine trainers. The inter-action program, which continues evenwhen SeaWorld is closed, mixes partici-

At SeaWorld San Antonio, gentle, gregarious belugas teachus the mysteries of the deep.

BY EILEEN MATTEI

H

Texas USA

pants like me into the whales’ learningand play sessions.

“You are trainers in the water today.You are going to be asking for behaviorsand then reinforcing behaviors,” trainerKelly Adamonis tells the 10 of us whohave signed up for an afternoon session.Martin Brophy, a serious 11-year-old fromGoliad, chose the whale interaction pro-gram as his birthday present. A couplefrom Del Rio are taking the figurativeplunge with whales to celebrate theirengagement. Annie Reese, 17, envisions afuture in marine biology. We squeeze intoSeaWorld wetsuits and split into threegroups.

After we ease onto the pool’s sub-merged ledge, wading in shallow waterwhere we will stay, trainer Laura Meitindescribes the signal I will give Luna. Withclasped hands, I give Luna the sign to wig-gle her melon, the dome on her massivehead. She does so and drops open her

huge mouth for a fish snack. Luna’s flexi-ble pectoral (side) flippers—soft and coolto my fingers—keep her balanced, whileher tail propels her through the water atspeeds up to 14 mph.

Meitin runs Luna through her reper-toire so each participant standing in thewater gets to communicate with, touchand reward the enthusiastic whale. I twirllike a ballerina, and so does Luna. I dis-cover that Luna knows her left from herright better than I do. She gets a belly ruband splashes for her cooperation.

Meitin slaps the water, calling Imaq, a1,900-pound whale, to us. Meitin nods athim, and he nods back. She hands us fish,and we hold them beneath the surface,where Imaq slurps them out of our hands.Meitin circles her thumb and forefinger:“This is his cue to make a series of differentnoises.” But Imaq keeps making the samenoise. Meitin tells us to stand still for threeseconds and not acknowledge this incor-

rect behavior, saying, “I’m not communi-cating in a way he understands. Maybe I’mgiving the hand signal incorrectly.”

But Imaq interprets the next signalsperfectly. He springs out of the water likea dolphin, curving up and splashingdown, and we give him his reward. Aheadstand, his tail waving high, follows asdoes a marlin-like backward tail walk.

Imaq gives me my first whale kiss—acold, gentle buss on my cheek. I kiss himback, planting a heartfelt smooch on hisgiant domed head.

Being in the water with belugas is edu-cational, but the true joy comes frombuilding a relationship with a whale. Withsqueaks, whistles and playful splashes,Luna, Imaq and Natasha talk to me in theonly “sign language” I understand. Thatthese beautiful giants allow me to touchthem and are willing to touch me backspeaks volumes.

Eileen Mattei, frequent contributor

A WHALE OF A WAVE: The Beluga Interaction Program gives visitors the thrill of joining in a conversation with mammals that can weigh more than a ton. As for the studious

whales, well, they eat it up, too.

COU

RTE

SY O

F SE

AW

OR

LD S

AN

AN

TON

IO

August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 23TexasCoopPower.com

TexasCoopPower.com24 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

I’m not afraid of heights. But one hotAugust morning, I knew that even thetallest ladder couldn’t reach the tinyorphan that huddled high within thehuge live oak that shades our front yard.Frustrated, I murmured a quick prayeras I circled the tree, trying to figure outwhat to do. From the dire look of things,only a miracle could save that baby. Andquite honestly, I doubted that wouldhappen.

Just the day before, I’d heard an unfa-miliar, high-pitched shriek coming fromsomewhere up in the old oak. A rat snakemust have gotten a baby bird, I thoughtsadly. That evening, as my husband,James, and I strolled across the yard, Idescribed what I’d heard earlier in theday. Suddenly, the same screech sounded.This time, though, it came from a differ-ent oak.

Anxiously, James and I hurried overto the tree and scanned the outerbranches. Way above us, clinging to aclump of ball moss, we spotted the tiniestEastern fox squirrel I’d ever seen. Stillscreeching, the baby awkwardly clam-bered farther down the branch. Now andthen, it’d lose its footing. “It’s going tofall!” I exclaimed.

Meanwhile, another scream soundedfrom the old oak. Sure enough, two morebabies clumsily climbed among the highbranches. Where was the mother squirrel?Should we try and rescue them? But how?I was clueless.

“Let’s let nature take its course,” I sug-gested reluctantly. James nodded. Afterall, they were just squirrels. Goodness

knew we had enough of those. Nonethe-less, we kept watch from lawn chairs seton the front porch. Minutes later, amovement off in the grass caught my eye.I stood up for a better view.

“It’s a baby, James! It did fall!” Irushed inside the house for a towel whileJames kept vigil. Back outside, I carefullywrapped the baby snugly within thetowel’s soft folds. “Look, another onefell,” James said, pointing to a secondsquirrel on the ground. Gently, we tuckedit inside the towel, too.

“I wasn’t going to tell you, but ...”James looked at me, sheepishly. “Theirmother must have been run over. Becauseearlier this week, I did see a dead squirrelin the street.” That explained why the triohad left their nest.

We took the two orphans to WildlifeRescue & Rehabilitation, a nonprofitfacility near Kendalia, not too far away.“Yes, it’s a good thing you brought thembecause they’re not weaned yet,” theyoung volunteer told us after examiningthe pair. “Girls,” she added, smiling.“Both of them.”

So we’d rescued two. But a thirdbaby—alone, hungry and vulnerable topredators—remained high in the oak. Iworried all night.

The next morning, I hurried outsideand scanned the oak limbs. I listened, too.No baby squirrel. Where was it? Had itsurvived the night? Every half hour or so,I peeked at the oak through our bedroomblinds. I’d also go back outside and check.Still no sign. Until ...

“I see it, I see it!” I squealed as I flew

The SquirrelWhispererIn the grand scheme of life,does one tiny creature reallymatter? One woman’s answer:Yes.

Observations

BY SHERYL SMITH-RODGERS

TexasCoopPower.com

ILLU

STR

ATI

ON

BY

SCO

TT D

AW

SON

August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 25

down the hallway and out our front door.Finally, I’d spotted a tiny silhouette, hud-dled atop a large horizontal limb. It wasstill alive! But now what? As I circled thetree’s base, I craned back my neck andlooked straight up some 30 feet to wherethe baby perched. You can’t reach thatsquirrel, Sheryl! Forget it.

But I couldn't forget it. “C’mon, baby!”I cooed. It eyed me curiously but didn’tmove. “C’mon down!” Over and overagain, I called as I circled the tree, alwayskeeping the squirrel within view.

To my dismay, it just climbed higheron wobbly legs. Thinking it might fall, Icupped my hands, ready—but uncertain—whether I could even catch it. Somehow,though, the little thing hung on. What’sthe point? It's just a squirrel. Give up,Sheryl.

But I just couldn’t. Then it turnedand began to inch its way gingerly downthe oak! “C’mon, baby, c’mon,” I coaxedas I stretched my hands toward it andpatted the rough bark reassuringly.Halfway down, though, it stopped andpeered at me from a thick V in the tree’strunk.

Maybe a ladder would reach now? Butbefore I left to fetch one, I decided to tryonce more. “C’mon, baby! Oh, please,come down,” I called quietly. To my sur-prise, it started toward me! Slowly, head-first, that tiny squirrel edged down theoak to where I stood on tiptoes, leaningagainst the tree, still patting the bark.“C’mon, baby! C’mon!”

Stunned and awed, I waited as it con-tinued downward. Would it really cometo me? Tears pricked my eyes. With allmy might, I stretched my fingertips a tadhigher, just enough to touch its itty-bittyblack nose and wispy whiskers. Its roundbrown eyes stared at me.

“It’s OK, baby,” I whispered. I steppedhigher on the oak’s base and quicklyclasped my hand around its frail, furrybody. It struggled some, but I hung ontight. In a few seconds, I nuzzled thesquirrel baby against my neck. Inside aplastic box, I placed it in the same towelthat had covered its sisters.

Back at the rehab center, a volunteer—who said our brave survivor was a boy—said, no, it’s not unusual for orphanedsquirrels to seek humans. Maybe so. Butthis I know: I saw trust in the eyes of a tinycreature that I thought didn’t matter, andthat was a miracle to me.

Sheryl Smith-Rodgers, frequent contributor

TexasCoopPower.com26 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

Old Faithful and Marathon provide hot water dependably, year-after-year,without a worry. But, one is owned by the government. Fortunately,Marathons are available from electric utilities. So now you can have yourvery own “Old Faithful” efficiently providing hot water for a lifetime.

Marathon Water Heaters are proudly made in the USA • For more information, visit www.marathonheaters.com

Bailey ECBandera ECBowie-Cass ECCentral Texas ECCentral Valley ECConcho Valley ECDeaf Smith ECFarmers EC, TXFarmers EC, NMGreenbelt ECHamilton ECHeart of Texas ECLamb County ECLea County ECLighthouse EC

Lyntegar ECMagic Valley ECMedina ECMid-South SynergyNorth Plains ECRoosevelt ECRusk County ECSan Bernard ECSouth Plains ECSouthwest Rural EATaylor ECVictoria ECWharton ECWise EC

Marathon, America’s mostdurable and efficient waterheater. Now available at thesemember-owned cooperatives:

Have questions? Ready to buy? Call us!

1-866-390-4832

3 Bed/2 Bath

866-660-3696 Find A Location Near You

www.anniversary.palmharbor.com

vnnia.www

omc.orbrahmlap.yrasrev

om

-066-668

uor YYoaeNacod A LniF6963

n oitaR OOLF&

R OF

313131To

txer TO

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 27

M A R K E T P L A C EM A R K E T P L A C EB U Y • S E L L • T R A D E • A C R O S S T O W N • A C R O S S T E X A S

Celebrating 18 years of ironclad customer service!

3 designs & 11 colors to choose from!Replace your vinyl skirting with STONECOTE.1-830-833-2547www.stonecote.com

MANUFACTURED HOME OR PIER & BEAM HOMEINSULATED CEMENT SKIRTING

Toll Free 1-888-320-7466

F a x : 9 4 0 - 4 8 4 - 6 7 4 6 e m a i l : info@rhinobldg.comW e b s i t e : w w w. R H I N O B L D G . C O M

Prices F.O.B. Mfg. Plants;

Seal Stamped Blue Prints;

Easy Bolt Together Design.

Farm•Industrial •Commercial

VISIT

OUR

WEBSITE

PRICES INCLUDE COLOR SIDES & GALVALUME ROOF

VISIT

OUR

WEBSITE

(Local codes may affect prices)

Arena Special (roof & frame)

100’ x 100’ x 14’...$35,581

25 YEAR COLOR WARRANTY

Based In

Texas

30’ x 50’ x 10’.............$8,579

40’ x 60’ x 12’.............$11,999

60’ x 100’ x 12’...........$23,849

80’ x 100’ x 14’...........$32,582

100’ x 150’ x 14’.........$55,759

LOW COSTMobile Home Insurance

Start Saving

www.stdins.comCall For A Custom Quote

8005220146

WOOWLe HliboM

OW Cusne Imoe H

TSecnaru

elpmCoiorepuS

g cniudlcIn(yay psaE

duedwoL

sequote&eerF

ind

egarraeovceteeicvresrio

)ss)rdat ciderg csnalt pnemy

selibtcdue nilnoysae

169s rrsenwwn

elleiboMg

in

225008om Qstuor A Cl FlaC

dst.www

m

6140euotom Q

oc.sin

TexasCoopPower.com28 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

®

GET RESULTS! ADVERTISE IN THE

CALL MARTIN FOR MORE INFORMATION

(512) 486-6249

MARKETPLACEMARKETPLACE

On your pond or lake, with or without roof.All sizes—installation available.

45 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE

Call for Free Information • 1-800-310-1425www.ellisonmarine.com • Ellison Marine, Franklin, TX.

FLOATING FISHING PIER

(512) 263-6830 • www.brushshark.com

S K I D ST E E R M O U N T E D S H E A R• 1/2" to 6" diameter trees and brush.

• Perfect for cedar, shin oak, persimmon, mesquite.

2012 John Deere 45 HP. 5045D Full Size Utility Tractor Package Deal

Foster’s Package Includes: Tractor

’ & ’ T

’ T T r

WE DELIVER EVERYWHERE!

2210 Highway 90Liberty, TX

(936) 336-7226

9135 College StreetBeaumont, TX

(409) 842-1128Build your customized package online!www.tractorpackages.com

33402 HWY. 290 West Hockley, TX

(281) 256-6900

$24,998.00 Cash or 10% down and $339.00 per month @ 72 months W Available WAC heel drive available for an additional $90.00 per month

9135 College StreetBeaumont, TX

(409) 842-1128

33402 HWY. 290 West Hockley, TX

(281) 256-6900

2210 Highway 90Liberty, TX

(936) 336-7226Build your customized package online! www.tractorpackages.com

$

Dept. 65233Magni Ear+™ - Buy (1) Get (1) FREE

TOTAL $

CA residents must add 7.25% sales tax $

______Magni Ear+TM

(s) @ $16.97 Plus Add $1.00 Handling =$17.97

Buy (1) Get (1) FREE!

(90373)

Add Shipping : $3.95Add $2.00 for each additional FREE

Hear What You’re MissingMagni Ear+™ is the revolutionary amplification sys-tem that is affordable and unnoticeable. Increasessound volume for hearing loss sufferers without cost-ing a fortune. Just slip it in your right or left ear andyou’re ready to join in on the fun or conversation. Dis-creet 1⁄2” in diameter Magni Ear+™ is safe and com-fortable to wear. Features individual volume control,replaceable soft rubber tips and storage case. MagniEar+™ is a sound amplification hearing device not in-tended for medical purposes. Hurry order today! Forevery Magni Ear+™ you buy, you get one FREE andyour shipping is FREE!Satisfaction Guaranteed or Return For Your Money Back

HEAR EVERYSOUND LOUD AND CLEAR!

HEAR MORE! SPEND LESS!

“I Can Hear TheLittle Things I’veBeen Missing!”

“It’s So Comfortable...I Forget I’mWearing It!”

The Original

Over800,000 Sold!

$(96357) _____(1 Month Supply) Batteries(s) @ $9.97

Magni Ear+™

FREEPlus One FREE!

SHIPPING

Only $1697WHY PAY MORE?

Same Advanced MicroChipSound Processor Used inUnits Costing Thousands!• Adjustable

Volume Control• Safe And Comfortable

www.DreamProductsCatalog.com WEB OFFERSMAY VARY( )

ORDER TOLL FREE 1-800-530-2689

RECEIVE A

WITH EVERY ORDER

GREAT FOR:• Watching TV• Theatre Recitals• Church Services• Or Just Casual

Conversations

� VISA � MasterCard � Discover®/NOVUSSMCards

Card# Expiration Date /

Name

Address

City ST Zip

Daytime Phone #

Email AddressCheck or money order payable to: Dream Products, Inc.Send Order To: 412 Dream Lane, Van Nuys, CA 91496

$ 2.95�FOR EXPEDITED SHIPPING (optional)

Add An Additional $2.95(receive your order 5-7 days from shipment)

MAGIC TOUCHCLOSURE

For CustomizedComfort And

Support On Left Or Right Foot!Stress Comfort

A-D-J-U-S-T-A-B-L-ECOMPRESSIONAND SUPPORTLIFTS ARCH TO A

NATURAL POSITIONTo Help Relieve Foot, Leg And Back Pain

While Reducing Inflammation!

www.DreamProductsCatalog.com web offersmay vary

ORDER NOWTOLL-FREE 1-800-530-2689OR

ORTHOTIC RELIEFFrom Arch Pain And

Discomfort Caused By:�Fallen Arches � Flat Feet

� Plantar Fasciitis

ELIMINATE FOOT & LEGPAIN In One Easy Step!

RECEIVE A

WITH EVERY ORDER A-D-J-U-S-T-A-B-L-ESUPPORTARCH

FREESHIPPING &

HANDLINGon orders of 2 or more! $997

Was $12.97

NOWONLY

WALK AGAINPAIN-FREE!

Don’t let your flat feet or fallen arches force you towalk in pain! Adjustable Arch Support gently liftsproblem arches to a natural position that evenlydistributes pressure to help reduce inflammation ofthe Plantar Fascia tissue! Provides instant painrelief for your feet, legs and back, plus betterbalance and control. Made in the USA ofbreathable, stretchable, neoprene. 10" x 4½" sizefits left or right foot. SAVE $3.00 and get a FREESURPRISE GIFT with every order! Plus get FREEshipping & handling on 2 or more!

INSTANT PAIN RELIEFFor Your Aching Feet & Legs!

Satisfaction Guaranteed or Return For Your Money Back

$ 2.95

Adjustable Arch Support(s) @ $9.97 each $

Dept. 65437(99820)

Regular Shipping and Handling Add $4.95 1st itemFREE Shipping & Handling when buying 2 or more

TOTAL $

CA residents must add 7.25% sales tax $

Name

Address

City ST Zip

Daytime Phone #

Email AddressCheck or money order payable to: Dream Products, Inc.Send Order To: 412 Dream Lane, Van Nuys, CA 91496

�VISA �MasterCard �Discover®/NOVUSSMCards

Card# Expiration Date /

FOR EXPEDITED SHIPPING (optional)(receive your order 5-7 days from shipment)�

ADJUSTABLE ARCH SUPPORT

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 29

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLSQuality Tools at Ridiculously Low Prices

LIFETIME WARRANTYON ALL HAND TOOLS!

FACTORY DIRECT TO YOU!

Nobody Beats Our Quality, Service and Price!

Over• 20 Million Satisfi ed Customers!1 Year Competitor's Low Price Guarantee• No Hassle Return Policy!• 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!•

OFFOFF2020%%

ANY SINGLE ITEM!

FREE!FREE!SUPER

COUPON!SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 9Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 6Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 3Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 5Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 6Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 8Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 8Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 7Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 5Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 4Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 5Good at our stores or website or by phone. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 1 Save 20% on any one item purchased at our store. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon, gift cards, Inside Track Club membership, phone or online orders, extended service plans or on any of the following: compressors, generators, tool storage or carts, welders, fl oor jacks, Campbell Hausfeld products, open box items, in-store event or parking lot sale items. Not valid on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase date with original receipt. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 1 Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or prior purchase. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handling charges may apply if not picked up in-store. Original coupon must be presented. Non-transferable. Valid through 12/1/12. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

12" RATCHET BAR CLAMP/SPREADER

LOT NO. 46807/ 68975/69221/

69222

$199 REG. PRICE

$5.4 9

SAVE 63%

Item 46807 shown

SUPER

COUPON!

Order Online at HarborFreight.com and We'll Ship Your Order400 Stores Nationwide

36 LED SOLAR SECURITY LIGHT

Item 98085 shown

LOT NO. 98085 /69644/69890

$1799 REG. PRICE

$24 .99

Includes 1.2 volt, 600mAh/6 volt NiCd rechargeable battery pack.

SAVE 28%

SAVE 61%

$499

AUTOMATIC BATTERY FLOAT

CHARGER LOT NO. 42292 /

69594/69955

REG. PRICE

$12 .99

Item 42292shown

SAVE 50%

7 FT. 4" x 9 FT. 6" ALL PURPOSE WEATHER

RESISTANT TARP

REG. PRICE $6 .99 $349

LOT NO. 877/69129/69137/69249

Item 877 shown

SAVE 50%

LARGELOT NO. 93640

X-LARGELOT NO. 93641

$399 REG. PRICE $7.99

YOUR CHOICE!

MECHANIC'S GLOVES

LOT NO. 94141/69874

$1999 REG. PRICE $44 .99

TRIPLE BALL TRAILER HITCH

SAVE 55%

Item 94141 shown

RECIPROCATING SAW WITH ROTATING HANDLE

SAVE 50%

LOT NO. 65570

3/8" VARIABLE SPEED REVERSIBLE DRILL

LOT NO. 3670

$1299 REG. PRICE $24.99

SAVE 48%

$1999 REG. PRICE

$39 .99

LOT NO. 95659

580 LB. CAPACITY

FOUR DRAWER TOOL CART

$9999 REG. PRICE $229 .99

SAVE $130

70 dB • Noise Level

REG. PRICE $449.99

LOT NO. 68528/67560 /69676/69729

LOT NO. 68527/69675/69728,

CALIFORNIA ONLY

$28999

3200 RATED WATTS/ 4000 MAX. WATTS

PORTABLE GENERATORS (212 CC)

N!

B PORPOR

SUPERSUPER QUIET! QUIET!

Item 68528 shown

SAVE $160 $6999 REG.

PRICE $139 .99

RAPID PUMP® 3 TON HEAVY DUTY STEEL FLOOR JACK

Item 68048 shown

LOT NO. 68048 /69227

WEIGHS 74 LBS.

SAVE $70

WITH ANY PURCHASE

How does Harbor Freight Tools sell high quality tools at such ridiculously low prices? We buy direct from the factories who also supply the major brands and sell direct to you. It's just that simple! See for yourself at one of our 400 Stores Nationwide and use this 20% Off Coupon on one of our 7,000 products*, plus pick up a Free 9 LED Aluminum Flashlight, a $6.99 value. We stock Shop Equipment, Hand Tools, Tarps, Compressors, Air & Power Tools, Woodworking Tools, Welders, Tool Boxes, Generators, and much more.

3-1/2" SUPER BRIGHTNINE LED ALUMINUM

FLASHLIGHT

REG. PRICE $6.99ITEM 65020/69052/69111Item 65020

shown

hft_texascoop_0812_M-REG15317.indd 1 6/22/12 2:59:25 PM

TexasCoopPower.com30 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

AustinBeaumontClevelandCorpus Christi

DallasFort WorthHoustonRosenbergSan Antonio

ShermanTerrellTexarkanaTyler

800.756.2506 unitedbilt.net* With approved credit for qualified land owners. Lic Res Mort Lender AR,LA,MS,MO,OK,TX NMLS#39943

In-house financing with ZERO down & no payments for 6 mos!

Surprisingly affordable.

This is a great time to build your new home!

Building materials are affordably priced

and mortgage rates are at an all-time low.

Get started today with United-Bilt Homes.

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 31

40 x 50 x 10 = $8,637.0040 x 60 x 12 = $10,362.0050 x 75 x 12 = $14,376.0060 x 80 x 14 = $18,153.00

100 x 150 x 14 (M-1) = $46,824.00ALL SIZES MINI-STORAGE!

1-800-509-4949www.accessiblebuildings.com

Steel shops, agriculture barns, RV buildings, airplane hangars, barndominium homes.

Erection included. Concrete slabs available.

Instant Quotes Online: www.wdmb.com

W.D. Metal Buildings

Texas food, music, clothes, gifts and more—find it all at TexasCoopPower.com/shop, along with great deals for Texas Co-op Power readers.

Texas Co-op Power

GIFT SHOPGIFT SHOPGIFT SHOP

TexasCoopPower.com32 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

Scan for Video

www.GorillaTough.com1-800-966-3458

© 2

012

Goril

la G

lue

Com

pany

SeriousStrengthSeriousStrengthMade inUSA

THOUSANDS of Churches, Clubs, Schools, Teams and Youth Groups

fundraise with Rada Cutlery each year!

Request your FREE catalog and information packet:

1-800-311-9691or www.RadaCutlery.com

NOTE: Dept A12REM

Fund Raising1. 40% Profi t2. USA Kitchen Items3. Easy System

Your FUNDRAISER will sell:

WATER PROBLEMS ??

NO MOREIRON!�

NO MOREHARDNESS!

NO MORESULFUR!

�NO MORE

BACTERIA!PROBLEMS SOLVED WITH

�NO SALT & NO CHEMICALSFREE BROCHURE~1-800-392-8882

MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!www.waterproblems.net

NO MORE SAND

ADVANTAGESTEEL BUILDINGS

Quality Buildings at Affordable Prices

1.877.657.8335www.advantagesteelbuildings.com

30’ x 50 ’x10’ ................... $7,126

40’ x 60’ x 12’ .................. $10,287

50’ x 75’ x 14’ ................. $15,196

80’ x 20’ x 16’ ................. $36,874

Minis - 30’ x 100’ with 20 10’ x 15’ units - $14,740

TSOC TSEWOLT re ecnarusnI efiL m

EGA 000,052$ 000,001$

Rates figured on monthly cost for female non-tobacco users

545556

87.2191.6160.13

BRANDON RAMLET

57.2282.1374.86

TALIC FORM NO. 1-32207-198

Issue ages through 90

(888) 250-5054

No Money Down Licensed, Bonded & Fully Insured All Major Credit Cards AcceptedFAX: 1-866-582-1400

1-800-582-BARN(2276)

“Building Solutions”...with integrity!

“B“B“B“BBBBBBBBBBBBBBuiuiuiuiuiuiuiuiuiuiiuiuuuuu ldldldldldldldldldldlddddinininininininininininiii gggggggggg ggg SoSoSoSoSoSoSoSoSoSoSoSoSoSoSoolululululululululululululull titititittitititititititiononononnononononononons”uuuttt onnnnnnnnnns”sssssssss...ww.w.w.ww.w.w.w.w.witititititi hhhhhhh hhhh ininininininininintetetetetetett grgrgrgrgg ititititititity!yy!y!y!!!!!!!y!yyyinini teteteteegrgrgrgrggg ititityyy!!!!!

ggg“Building Solutions”...with integrity!

Full Service Post-Frame Design & Construction Since 1992Serving 27 States and Over 10,000 Customers

E-mail: sales@nationalbarn.com

GAS UP AND GO!GAS UP AND GO!TexasCoopPower.com

Fairs, festivals, food and

family fun! It’s all listed under

the Events tab on our website.

Pick your region. Pick your month.

Pick your event. With hundreds of

events throughout Texas listed

every month,TexasCoopPower.com

has something for everyone.

All CDs are insured to $250,000 per institution by the FDIC. All CDs are subject to availability. Securities offered through Signal Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. 700 Throckmorton, Ft. Worth, TX 76102, (817) 877-4256.

HIGH RATESon Bank CDs

BLAKE MATTSON, CFP ™

Signal Securities, Inc., 5400 Bosque, 4th Floor, Waco, TX 76710

Serving Customers All Over Texas

www.mattsonfinancialservices.com1-800-359-4940 TEXAS

TOLL-FREE

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 33

Texas History

Lottie Deno, Lady Gambler In 1872, an impeccably dressed young woman sashayed along the dusty streets of FortGriffin in North Texas. Although she looked like a cultured Southern bellewith a wardrobe straight from the Paris fashion houses, the red-hairedbeauty, who went by the name Lottie, was one of Texas’ most notoriousgamblers. BY MARTHA DEERINGER

Trailed by a past clouded in mystery,the lady pushed through the batwingdoors of the Bee Hive, her preferred gam-bling house, where she proceeded toextract the last cent from a well-to-do gen-tleman at a card game of faro. As the storygoes, someone yelled from the back of thesaloon, “Honey, with winnings like them,you ought to call yourself Lotta Dinero.”With a slight adjustment, she did.

Lottie Deno both angered andintrigued the hard-bitten men of theTexas frontier forts. Beguiling and myste-rious, she handled a deck of cards withmaddening dexterity, cleaning out foolishsoldiers who had just drawn their pay.Most of the regulars suspected that shecheated at cards, but none could catch herat it. Previously known as Mystic Maud,the lady gambler guarded her secret pastlike a royal flush, causing wild rumors tocirculate about her ancestry.

Few of Lottie’s contemporaries everdiscovered that she was born Carlotta J.Thompkins on April 21, 1844, the daugh-ter of well-to-do parents, on a plantationnear Warsaw, Kentucky. Her father, aracehorse breeder, sent her to an Episco-pal convent and took Lottie with him onbusiness trips across the United Statesand Europe. But it was in New Orleansthat he introduced his eldest daughter tothe world of gambling, betting heavily onhis horses and introducing her to thesecrets of winning at cards.

Lottie’s nanny, assigned to her at birthfrom among the slaves who worked theThompkins’ plantation, was a giant of awoman, 7-foot-tall Mary Poindexter.Mary accompanied Lottie everywhere,long after she grew to adulthood. Whenthe two women walked the streets alone,Lottie’s father didn’t worry. Nobodymessed with Mary Poindexter.

In 1861, when Lottie was 17, the CivilWar took a disastrous toll on her family.Her father enlisted in the ConfederateArmy and was killed in battle. Lottie’smother, in failing health, sent her daugh-ter to Detroit to stay with family friends,hoping that she would marry a youngman who could take over her father’sbusiness. Lottie cavorted through thecity, dancing her nights away until Marypointed out that they would soon run outof money. Lottie received a fortuitousinvitation to visit a local gambling frater-nity. Dressed in her finest, she attended . . . and played.

Her nights at the poker tables pro-vided income, enough to send moneyhome to her mother and younger sister,although she told her family nothingabout the money’s origins.

In Detroit, Lottie teamed up with oldfriend Johnny Golden, a former jockeywho had once ridden her father’s race-horses. But Lottie’s mother made it plainthat Johnny was not acceptable husbandmaterial and would not be welcome inKentucky because he was Jewish.Throughout the Civil War, Johnny andLottie worked the gambling houses alongthe Mississippi River. They ultimatelysplit, and Johnny agreed to meet Lottiein San Antonio in the near future.

Mary, meanwhile, took her job as Lot-tie’s guardian seriously, once even throw-ing herself on a rattlesnake in hermistress’ path. Mary was bitten in thescary encounter near the Mississippi andlost a finger. In another incident, twoConfederate officers spotted Lottiestrolling on the deck of a riverboat. Oneofficer began shouting that Lottie hadcheated him at cards and raced up thegangplank to confront her, but Marystepped between them, lifted the officer

into the air and tossed him overboard.In 1865, Lottie arrived in San Antonio

and a year later was offered a job dealingcards at the University Club. About fiveyears passed before Johnny put in anappearance, but by then Lottie had fallenin love with Frank Thurmond, a clubowner who eventually departed for WestTexas after allegedly killing a man duringa card game. In time, Lottie also headedwest, arriving at Fort Griffin, where sherubbed elbows with such legendary gam-blers as Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp,once winning more than $3,000 fromHolliday in one evening.

After many years as a glamorous gam-bler, she joined Frank in New Mexico.The couple married in 1882 in Silver andmoved to Deming, where Lottie gave upgambling and became a founding mem-ber of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

The colorful life of Lottie Deno, whodied on February 9, 1934, and is buriednext to her husband in Deming, reachedlegendary proportions when she wasimmortalized as the character Miss Kittyin the long-running television series“Gunsmoke.”

Martha Deeringer, frequent contributor

Lottie Deno

PHO

TO R

ESTO

RA

TIO

N:

PHO

JOE.

CO

LOR

IZA

TIO

N:

SUZI

SA

ND

S

“We used to cut everythingby hand and had a lot

of trouble. Now our PlasmaCAM does it all, attaining levels

of production not thought possible before. It’s run 40-50 hours a week for the past

three years. It attains incredible detail, is very easy and cost

maintenance. The bottom line is:

-JonRestaurant Lighting & Fixtures

These Are the Salad Days When temperatures spike on anAugust afternoon, who wants to stand over a hot stove making dinner? Not me. I’dmuch rather be at the cutting board using my knife to create a cool salad, either asthe main dinner event or a sideshow.

Salads don’t have to mean an unchanging diet of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.They can be tossed together with a wide array of combinations—vegetables, fruits,cheeses, meats, nuts and seeds—each adding their own flavors and textures. And thepossibilities expand with what you use to dress your salad, from a simple vinaigretteto a creamy emulsification.

Summer is the best time to eat fresh fruits and veggies, which are near the peak of their ripeness and flavor. So if the heat’s got you down, try cooling off with saladfor supper.

Here’s a nice idea for a salad that’s refreshing and light. It comes from a cookbook filled with fresh ideas on vegetarian cuisine. Michael Natkin’s Herbivoracious (The Harvard Common Press, 2012) contains 150 originalrecipes combining flavors that work together in unexpected ways. One of these is a side salad that would pair wellwith a spicy entrée. I could not find Valencia oranges as the recipe called for and substituted naval orangesinstead. The results were still quite tasty. BY KEVIN HARGIS

Recipes

Jicama, Radish and Orange Salad

Half of 1 jicama 1 bunch radishes, trimmed and quartered 4 Valencia oranges, cut into supremes*, juice reserved ¼ teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 handful torn cilantro leaves, for garnish

› Peel jicama and cut into batons, or strips, that are about2 inches long, ¼ inch wide and ¼ inch deep.

› Combine batons, radishes and orange supremes in asalad bowl with salt and generous grind of pepper.

› Add ¼ cup reserved orange juice and toss lightly. Tasteand adjust seasonings. Garnish with cilantro and serve.Servings: 4. Serving size: ¼ salad. Per serving: 75 calories, 1.6 g protein,0.1 g fat, 18.7 g carbohydrates, 5 g dietary fiber, 151 mg sodium, 13.1 gsugars

* Making a SupremeA supreme is a segment of a citrus fruit without any pith or membrane. Tomake supremes, first slice a half-inch off the top and bottom of a fruit. Standfruit, one cut side down, on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut offthe peel and pith (white portion), traveling from top to bottom and followingthe fruit’s contour. When all peel has been removed, hold the fruit over a bowland slice in on both sides of a segment, as close as possible to the membrane.If segment doesn’t fall right out, a slight twist of the knife should remove it.

When done, sections of fruit should be sitting in juice. Squeeze remainingpeel and membrane to extract any remaining juice.

Note: If you are concerned about your knife technique, just use standardsegments and squeeze a fifth orange for juice. Please, don’t hurt yourself.

Essential Salad Tools• Sharp Knife After a few uses, even the finest chef’s knives lose their edge.If your tomatoes look more like they’ve been crushed than sliced, considerhaving your knife professionally sharpened. And employ a honing implementbefore every use.• Salad Spinner If you’ve ever suffered through a soggy salad caused by greensthat were washed but inadequately dried, you’ll agree this kitchen gadget isworth it. It consists of a basket with a mechanism for imparting centrifugal forcethat whirls away excess moisture, leaving lettuce crisp and dry.• Big Bowl Ever tried to toss a salad in too small a bowl? You probably endedup with more lettuce on the counter than in the container. Use a bowl of ade-quate size to make mixing easier.• Salad Tongs I love my pair of wooden salad servers that resemble bearclaws. They make tossing and serving a breeze.• Old Jar If you like to mix your own dressings, there’s nothing wrong with recycling a glass jar to use as your container. (Just makesure the lid seals tight.)

Colorful ingredients make the refreshing Jicama,Radish and Orange Salad a treat for the eyes.

PHO

TO B

Y R

ICK

PA

TRIC

K

TexasCoopPower.com36 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

Recipes

Kielbasa Summer Salad

1 pound fully cooked kielbasa or Polish sausage 1 can (15.5 ounces) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed 2 medium tart apples, cored and cut into ½-inch chunks 1 medium bell pepper, chopped 4 large green onions, thinly sliced ⅓ cup oil 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons sugar½ to1 teaspoon black pepper

› Halve sausage lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch slices;brown and drain on paper towels.

› In a large bowl, combine sausage with peas, apples, bellpepper and onions.

› Combine oil, vinegar, mustard and sugar in a bowl or jarwith a tight-fitting lid and whisk or shake to combine.Pour oil mixture over sausage mixture, add black pepperto taste and toss.

› Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnightbefore serving.Servings: 10. Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 275 calories, 8.7 g protein,19 g fat, 14.6 g carbohydrates, 2.2 g dietary fiber, 439 mg sodium, 4.6 gsugars, 26 mg cholesterol

SUSAN VAVROCH | BLUEBONNET ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Steak and Blue Cheese Salad

4 sirloin steaks (8 ounces each), trimmed Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon granulated onion 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon paprika 3⁄4 cup raisins 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon minced white onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup fat-free buttermilk 2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled Vegetable oil for frying 1 medium red onion, sliced into rings about 1⁄8 inch thick Flour for coating 3 romaine hearts, torn into leaves

› Season steaks with salt and pepper. Mix thyme, oregano,granulated onion, cumin and paprika. Rub mix ontosteaks at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours before grilling.

› Grill steaks to desired doneness and keep warm. › Whisk raisins, mayonnaise, minced onion, garlic, butter-

milk, lemon juice, cilantro and blue cheese together. Setaside.

ANN BAKER | BOWIE-CASS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

The recipes we received for this month’s Salad Days contestranged from simple vegetable mixes to elaborate conglomer-ations of varied ingredients. The winning recipe combined asmoky-sweet dressing with a little spice to make a memo-rable dish suitable to stand alone as a meal.

Spicy Shrimp, Avocado and SpinachSalad with Bacon Dressing

2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1⅛ teaspoons salt, divided ⅓ cup Thai sweet chile sauce 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced into small pieces 1 tablespoon molasses or brown sugar ¼ cup cider vinegar 16 ounces baby spinach 2 ripe avocados, sliced 1 small red onion, sliced into rings

› Heat butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skilletover medium-high heat. Put half of shrimp into hotskillet, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and sauté untilpink, turning once. Cook about 3 minutes per side.Remove with slotted spoon into large bowl. Cookremaining shrimp, sprinkling with another ½ tea-spoon salt and adding more butter and oil if needed.

› When done, remove to bowl, pour chile sauce overall and stir to coat. Set aside.

› Meanwhile, fry bacon in a small skillet overmedium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes.Remove to paper towel-lined plate.

› Remove all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet,then add molasses, vinegar, 2 tablespoons water and⅛ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat until bub-bly. Remove from heat. Chop bacon into pieces andadd to dressing.

› Divide spinach among four serving plates. Top withsimilarly divided avocado and onion slices. Add sixshrimp to each plate. Pour a quarter of the dressingover each salad.Servings: 4. Serving size: ¼ of salad. Per serving: 354 calories, 12.5 g protein, 24.6 g fat, 17.5 g carbohydrates, 6.5 g dietary fiber,1,551 mg sodium, 7.6 g sugars, 76 mg cholesterol

August 10 is the deadline for our eighth annual Holiday Recipe Contest,sponsored by the Texas Pecan Board. You have only a few days left toenter your ORIGINAL recipe containing Texas pecans. Recipes cannothave been published previously. Only three entries per co-op member.See complete rules at TexasCoopPower.com.

There are three ways to enter: ONLINE at TexasCoopPower.com (under the Submit and Share tab); MAIL to 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701; FAX to (512) 763-3408. Include your name, address and phone number, plus your co-op.

$5,000 Recipe Contest

BLU

E R

IBB

ON

BU

TTO

N ©

JA

MES

STE

IDL.

IM

AG

E FR

OM

BIG

STO

CK.C

OM

. B

LUE

RIB

BO

N ©

RIC

HA

RD

CO

TE.

IMA

GE

FRO

M B

IGST

OCK

.CO

M.

OIL

AN

D V

INEG

AR

© N

IKO

LA B

ILIC

. IM

AG

E FR

OM

BIG

STO

CK.C

OM

.

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 37

› Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pan overmedium-low heat. Deep fat thermometer should regis-ter 325 degrees.

› Dredge onion rings in flour and fry in oil until goldenbrown and crisp. Drain on paper towels and seasonlightly with salt.

› Divide romaine among 4 dinner plates and spoon dress-ing on lettuce. Thinly slice steaks and arrange ondressed romaine. Garnish with fried onion rings. Passaround any remaining dressing.Servings: 4. Serving size: ¼ salad. Per serving: 872 calories, 59.4 g protein, 44.4 g fat, 50.2 g carbohydrates, 4.4 g dietary fiber, 1,166 mgsodium, 26.6 g sugars, 193 mg cholesterol

CINDY JAMES | PEDERNALES ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Tahitian Salad

1 small box (6 ounces) wild rice, cooked per directions 1 can (11½ ounces) mixed vegetables, drained 1 can (7½ ounces) corn, drained 1 onion, chopped 1 tomato, chopped ¼ bell pepper, chopped 3 stalks celery, chopped 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped 1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise ¼ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup vinegar ½ teaspoon garlic salt Salt and pepper to taste

› Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. › Cover and chill overnight.

Servings: 6. Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 356 calories, 7.1 g protein,22.8 g fat, 29.7 g carbohydrates, 3.9 g dietary fiber, 639 mg sodium, 6.2 g sugars, 54 mg cholesterol

MARY LYNN GARRETT | BANDERA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

See more salad recipes along with winning recipes from years past online at TexasCoopPower.com.

Correction: The Texas Mac & Cheese recipe in July'sedition misstated the amount of black pepper needed.It should have been 1 tablespoon.

E N T E RT O D AY !

D E A D L I N E :

A U G U S T 1 0S P O N S O R E D B Y

T E X A S P E C A N B O A R D

Order your Texas pecans today.www.TexasPecans.org

Enter online at TexasCoopPower.com. Each entry MUST include your name, address and phone number, plus the name of your Texas electric cooperative, or it will be disqualified. Specify which

category you are entering, savory or sweet, on each recipe. Send entries to: Texas Co-op Power/Holiday Recipe Contest, 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. You can fax recipes to (512)

763-3408. Up to three entries are allowed per co-op membership. Each should be submitted on a separate piece of paper if mailed or faxed. Mailed entries can all be in one envelope. No email

entries will be accepted. For official rules, visit TexasCoopPower.com.

Send us your best original Texas pecan recipes—savory and sweet. Show us how you use Texas pecans to dress up vegetables, meatsand salads or your nuttiest cookies, pies and candies. All recipes must include pecans (Texas pecans are our favorite). Winners willbe featured in our December 2012 issue. Enter by August 10, 2012, at TexasCoopPower.com. Go to TexasCoopPower.com for details and official rules.

8 T H A N N U A L H O L I D A Y R E C I P E C O N T E S T

$5,000 in Total Prizes

Delicious, NUTritious Texas Pecans

5 Winners! $2,000 Grand Prizewinner. $1,000 Best Savory Recipe. $1,000 Best Sweet Recipe. Two Category Runners-Up Each Win $500.

Fresh, plump and bursting with flavor, Texas pecans can’t be beat. Find out for yourself. Order some Texas pecans and enter our 2012 Holiday Recipe Contest. Send in your best original recipes, sweet or savory, using Texas pecans. Let’s get cracking!

TexasCoopPower.com38 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

ADVERTISEMENT

TestimonialI cannot say enough about how good the foot pain cream is. I suffer from neuropathy in my feet and legs and at times the pain is so bad it’s unbearable. The cream takes away the pain and burning from my feet and legs. I would like to see more diabetics and people who suffer from neuropathy have a chance to try this wonderful product. Thank you, thank you PhysAssist. Diane T. / Greensboro, NC

Diabetic Friendly!

Foot, Ankle, Leg and Knee PainTingling, Burning SensationsPlantar FasciitisRestless LegsFoot and Leg CrampsDry, Itchy, Flaky SkinRough, Cracked Heels

Foot Pain Cream with Tea Tree Oil

PhysAssist

Neuropathy Pain

Neuropathy Pain

#1 in fighting

Also, Helps Relieve

Send your name and address, along with a check or MO in the amount of $22.90 (this includes S&H and the $2.00 discount) to:PhysAssist

116 Spring Meadow Dr

Bluffton SC, 29910

*Send Code TX82

for your $2.00 OFF

www.PhysAssist.com

When checking out, enter coupon TX82 in coupon window to receive $2.00 OFF.

ORDER BY INTERNET

ORDER BY PHONE

ORDER BY MAIL

800-362-8063(*U.S.A Only)Mention TX82 for $2.00 OFF

Foot Pain Creamwith Tea Tree

AssistTherapeutic Skin Care

Phys

$19.95+S&H

ONLY

Limited Time Offer

2 oz / 60 ml

*Only U.S.A $2.00 Off TX82

#1 in fighNNeuropaNeuropa

Foot Pain ting

ththt#1 in figh

hg

Ng

NN

P iy

Crree ea Twith TTe

PhysAssist

Pain

mCr meamOil

NNN

Foot and Leg CrampsRestless LegsPlantar Fasciitis

ingling, Burning SensationsTAnkle, Leg and Knee PainFoot,

nninniapPpNeuropaNeuropaPp

iiiPNeuropa y y tht y y

PaPaia niiPpP

yhththpPpP

, Helsoo,A

Foot and Leg CrampsRestless LegsPlantar Fasciitis

ingling, Burning SensationsAnkle, Leg and Knee Pain

evveelie, Helps R

Limit

window to receive $2.00 OFFcoupon When checking out, enter

.PhysAssist.comwww

ORDER BY

ORDER BY

800-362-8063

. window to receive $2.00 OFFin coupon 2TX8coupon

When checking out, enter .PhysAssist.com

INTERNETORDER BY

PHONEORDER BY

800-362-8063

reerreea TTrwith TTe

Foot Pain CreamareCSkin Therapeutic

Assist Phys

YY

ffeOime ed TLimit

$19.95ONLY

+S&H $

NL

Foot Pain Cream

. / Greensboro, NC

betic FDiaRough, Cracked Heels

TDiane

Thank you, thank you PhysAssist. wonderful product. fer from neuropathmore diabetics and people who sufff

cream takes away the pain and burning from my feet and legs. I would like to see neuropathy in my feet and legs and at times the pain is so bad it’I cannot say enough about how good the foot pain cream is. I sufTestimonial

, Flaky Skin, ItchyDryFoot and Leg Cramps

fer from neuropathy have a chance to try this

riendly!betic FRough, Cracked Heels

cream takes away the pain and burning from my feet and legs. I would like to see The s unbearable. neuropathy in my feet and legs and at times the pain is so bad it’

fer fromain cream is. I sufff

, Flaky SkinFoot and Leg Cramps

for your $2.00 OFF*Send Code

Bluffton SC, 29910

16 Spring Meadow Dr1

PhysAssist

includes S&H and the $2.00 discount) to:check or MO in the amount of $22.90 (this Send your name and address, along with a

Mention

ORDER BY

800-362-8063

for your $2.00 OFF2TX8*Send Code

Bluffton SC, 29910

16 Spring Meadow Dr

PhysAssist

includes S&H and the $2.00 discount) to:check or MO in the amount of $22.90 (this Send your name and address, along with a

for $2.00 OFF

MAILORDER BY

800-362-80632TX8Mention Only(*U.S.AA

*Only U.S.A $2.00 Off TX82

Only)

$2.00 Off

Loose Saggy Neck Skin – Can Any Cream Cure Turkey Neck?DEAR DORRIS: I’m a woman who is 64 years young who suffers from really loose skin under my chin and on my lower neck. I hate the term, but my grandkids say I have “turkey neck” and frankly, I’ve had enough of it!

I have tried some creams designed to help tighten and firm that loose, saggy skin, but they did not work. Is there any cream out there that can truly help my loose neck skin?

Turkey Neck, El Paso County

DEAR TURKEY-NECK: In fact, there is a very potent cream on the market that firms, tightens and regenerates new skin cells on the neck area. It is called the Dermagist Neck Restoration Cream®. This cream contains an

instant lift ingredient that tightens the skin naturally, as well as deep moisturizing ingredients to firm the skin and make it more supple. Amazingly, the Dermagist Neck Restoration Cream® also has Stem Cells taken from Malus Domesticus, a special apple from Switzerland.

These stem cells are actually unprogrammed cells that can mimic those of young skin that stays tight, firm and wrinkle free. As an alternative to the scary surgeries or face lifts that many people resort to, this cream really packs a big punch on the loose saggy skin of the neck.

The Dermagist Neck Restoration Cream® is available online at Dermagist.com or you can order or learn more by calling toll-free, 888-771-5355. Oh, I almost forgot… I was given a promo code when I placed my order that gave me 11% off. The code was “TXN6”. It’s worth a try to see if it still work.

Dear Dorris:

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 39

Focus on Texas

Up Close and Personal We were wowed bythe more than 150 beautiful photos we received for thismonth’s contest. There is a lot of talent in Texas! Whatyou see here is just a sampling; please check out the restof our favorites on our website. ASHLEY CLARY-CARPENTER

On TexasCoopPower.comSee more Up Close and Personal photos.

Upcoming ContestsOctober Issue: Ooops!Deadline: August 10

November: Water Towers

December: Night Photography

Send your photo for the October contest—along withyour name, address, daytime phone, co-op affiliationand a brief description—to Ooops!, Focus on Texas, 1122Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701, before August10. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must beincluded if you want your entry returned (approxi-mately six weeks). Please do not submit irreplaceablephotographs—send a copy or duplicate. If using a dig-ital camera, submit your highest-resolution images atTexasCoopPower.com/contests. We regret that TexasCo-op Power cannot be responsible for photos that arelost in the mail or not received by the deadline.

7 Baby praying mantis, Leslie Leake, United Cooperative Services

1 Ladybug on dandelion, Laura McGregor, Sam HoustonElectric Cooperative

1 Peafowl, Jaden Jostrand,Grayson-Collin Electric Cooperative

Beetle hiding on Texas skeletonplant, William Robitaille, PedernalesElectric Cooperative 5

Skittles the cat, Dana and Hailey Wright, South Plains Electric Cooperative 5

TexasCoopPower.com40 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

Around Texas

Pick of the Month

Deep Summer Bluegrass FestivalSherman [August 22–25] (903) 546-6893, chrystalopryhouse.com

One East Texas town. Four days of jamming.But there’s more than just music. Also enjoycamping under the stars and a flea market onSaturday.

August04 Brownwood ‘Remembering When’—HankWilliams Remembered, (325) 660-8338

Georgetown Faith in Action CaregiversBenefit Dance & Silent Auction, (512) 868-9544

Wimberley Market Day, (512) 847-2201,shopmarketdays.com

10 De Leon [10–11] Texas Truck & Tractor Pull,Peach & Melon Festival, (254) 968-2587

Hitchcock [10–11] Good Ole Days Festival,(409) 986-9224

11 Chappell Hill Lavender & Wine Fest,1-888-273-6426

16 Huntsville Diva Night, (936) 295-8113,chamber.huntsville.tx.us

16 Johnson City [16–18] Blanco County Fair & Rodeo, (830) 868-7684, bcfra.org

17 Highland Village [17–19] Balloon Festival,(972) 317-9073, hvballoonfest.com

18 Rosenberg Rosenberg Roundup,(832) 595-3525, rosenbergevents.com

23 Fredericksburg [23–26] Gillespie CountyFair, (830) 997-2359, gillespiefair.com

M A N D O L I N : 2 01 2 © WA LT E R A R C E . I M AG E F R O M B I G STO C K .CO M . L AV E N D E R : 2 01 2 © M A R I LY N B A R B O N E . I M AG E F R O M B I G STO C K .CO M .

August 11CHAPPELL HILL

Lavender &Wine Fest

7584

6X ©

201

2 C

HP

TOLL-FREE

888-212-0537DRtrimmer.com

Call for a FREE DVD & Catalog!

TRIM within a whisker of houses, trees, fences. Big wheels make it easy for anyone to control precisely!

MOW WITHOUT FEAR of hitting rocks or hidden obstacles, because there’s no blade to bend or dull.

GUARANTEED NOT TO TANGLE even in waist-high grass and weeds – thanks to its patented No-Wrap Trimmer Head.

The original, patented DR® TRIMMER/MOWER is both a precision trimmer and a powerful mower!

The Easier Way To Trim and Mow!

������������ ������������������������������������������������������� ����������� �����������!"��#�������������$%&

���������������� �������� ������ ��������������������� ����� ����������������������������� ������������� ����������� ����������������� �������������������� �������� ������������������������������� ������������������������ ��������������������������������������

��������!""������������������������ ��� �������������������# ����������� ���������������������������$ ����������������������� ���������������� ����������������������������� ������� �������� ��������������

%������������������������������������������������$ ���������������

That Fit Your Style and BudgetCustom Buildings

��������

���

Garages | Equine | Farm Storage | General Purpose

800-447-7436 • mortonbuildings.com

Get Going > This is just a sampling of the events

TexasCoopPower.com August 2012 Texas Co-op Power 41

Submit Your Event!We pick events for the magazine directly fromTexasCoopPower.com. Submit your event forOctober by August 10, and it just might befeatured in this calendar!

25 San Antonio Hill Country Doll Show,(830) 606-5868, dolldr.com

Jasper [25–26] Pine Country Gem & Mineral Show, (409) 384-3974, pinecountrygms.org

30 Boerne [30–9/4] Kendall County Fair,(830) 249-2839, kcfa.org 31

Belton [31–9/2] Central Texas State Fair,(254) 933-5353, centraltexasstatefair.com

September01 Port Lavaca Flip Flop Festival,(361) 552-2959, portlavacatx.org

06 Bryan [6–9] Brazos Valley Fair & Expo, (979) 823-3976, brazosvalleyfair.com

COT TO N C A N DY: 2 01 2 © A N D R E Y M A L I N K I N . I M AG E F R O M B I G STO C K .CO M . G EO D E : 2 01 2 © JA M E S B O SS E RT. I M AG E F R O M B I G STO C K .CO M . C A R : 2 01 2 © M A R G O H A R R I S O N . I M AG E F R O M B I G STO C K .CO M .

August 31 BELTONCentral TexasState Fair

August 25JASPER

Pine Country Gem& Mineral Show

07 Abilene [7–15] West Texas Fair & Rodeo,(325) 677-4376, taylorcountyexpocenter.com

08 Quitman Classic Car Cruise Night, (903) 763-4414

August 31 BELTONCentral TexasState Fair

www.bestbuywalkintubs.com/tx

Showroom located at 4053 Acton Hwy in Granbury, TX

... or we will come to you!

877-416-5289

Bathe Safely &Independently!

• Family-Owned, Texas-Built• Lifetime guarantee against leaks*• Fits any standard bathtub or

shower space• Full installation available• Great for circulation, arthritis,

stiff joints and relaxation• Call for pricing and other details• We do not believe in

high-pressure sales tactics

and festivals around Texas. For a complete listing, please visit TexasCoopPower.com/events.

TexasCoopPower.com42 Texas Co-op Power August 2012

Hit the Road

For the first time in 20 years, the public can watch—and listen—to the emergence of nearly a quarter-millionMexican free-tailed bats from a Central Texas cave. BY SUZANNE HABERMAN

Bracken Bat Cave

Like the first drop of rain that bringson a storm, a single Mexican free-tailedbat emerges around dusk in summer fromthe mouth of Bracken Bat Cave, a 100-foot-wide crescent-shaped opening into acavern in the Hill Country north of SanAntonio. The bats’ exodus is slow at firstas they linger at the cave’s lip, circlinground and round inside before emerging.

As more bats flow from deep insidethe Earth, the fluttering of wings growslouder, like a rainstorm gathering. Overthe next four hours, tens of millions morebats will follow the first in streams ofgraceful swirls that rise into the wide skyand dissipate in the distance.

Surrounded by 697 undeveloped acresowned and protected by Austin-basedBat Conservation International, Bracken

Bat Cave is the summer home to thelargest colony of bats in the world. Eachyear, the mostly female, dark brown togray Mexican free-tailed bats migratefrom Mexico to Texas for summer tobirth and raise their pups. While no con-gregation is as large as the Bracken BatCave colony, these bats take refuge allacross the state, including in downtownAustin under the Ann W. Richards Con-gress Avenue Bridge, which shelters theworld’s largest urban bat colony.

Every night from about March toOctober, these tiny creatures fly out fromtheir underground roosts to feed. Theyspread out over a 60-mile radius from thecave at heights of up to 10,000 feet overthe next eight to 12 hours to feed on hun-dreds of tons of insects, such as moths and

agricultural pests. Their emergence is sodense that it shows up on Doppler radar.

The nightly bat emergence fromBracken Bat Cave lures a host of expec-tant watchers. A Great Horned Owl andtwo Harris’s Hawks scope out potentialdinners from nearby trees. Their shapescast ominous silhouettes against the pinkand blue horizon at sunset. On theground, skunks, raccoons and opossumsprowl, and rattlesnakes lurk in wait tostrike low-flying bats from the air.

People, too, can witness the bat flightsfrom Bracken Bat Cave (for more infor-mation, go to batcon.org). This summer,for the first time in BCI’s 20-year owner-ship of the cave, bat flights are open to thepublic for a fee on Wednesday throughSunday evenings through late October.Additionally, purchasing memberships toBCI provides visitation options, includingfree tickets or discounts on tickets,depending on the membership level.Memberships start at $30.

In August, the meet-up time is 5 p.m.,and bats emerge around sunset. Aftergathering at Natural Bridge Cavernsabout two miles away, groups of visitorscaravan over rugged dirt roads and thenhike about half a mile on easy-to-walktrails to a natural amphitheater-styleseating area overlooking the cave. Nearthe site, signs encourage visitors to bequiet so as not to disturb the bats andenjoy the primitive, natural experience.The excited chatter dies down as specta-tors settle on cedar benches and boul-ders on the rim of the sinkhole above thecave.

But once the bats take wing and beginswirling directly overhead, guests don’tneed to be shushed. Together, they fallsilent in reverence, like desert dwellerswatching and listening to the pitter-patter of welcome rain.

Suzanne Haberman, staff writer

On TexasCoopPower.comWhere else can you see Mexican free-tailed bat colonies in Texas? We provideall the details.

Every night from March to October, at around sundown, the bats take flight. They spend the next 12 hoursfeeding on hundreds of tons of insects.

H

MIC

HA

EL D

UR

HA

M/M

IND

EN P

ICTU

RES

/BA

T CO

NSE

RVA

TIO

N I

NTE

RN

ATI

ON

AL

When you hear the call of the wild

Rural Land Loans

Country Home Loans

Farm & Ranch Loans

Livestock & Equipment Loans

Operating Capital

Real Estate Appraisal Services

Agribusiness Financing

Leasing

T E X A S ’ L A R G E S T R U R A L L E N D E R

hWWh

u h

f tl flllhtth

dilldhtth

ehheWWh

ar eeau hheon yyoeen

f tl oofallle ccahhetth

dillde wwihhetth

mpiuqE&kcotseviL

aoLhcnaR&mraF

aoLemoHyrtnuoC

snaoLdnaLlaruR

snaoLtnem

sna

sna

mlanrutertsucruootvitarepoocdnaetatseaFlatipaCerre’eWWe

etenruofotnecrep001tsomnortapruohguorhT.sremottimmocruodnaerutcurtsevy59roffosnaolssenisubirgalucirgaedamsahtiderCmra

ee answwehhee tthre

ruootkcabsgninraeew,margorpegan

stfiorpnruterottnemtruoecarbmeeW.sraeylaer,noitcudorplarutl

.rr.eer

gnisaeL

naniFssenisubirgA

siarppAetatsElaeR

latipaCgnitarepO

gnicn

secivreSlas

aFlatipaC

sremotsuc

XET

moc.tiderCmra

niodfotfienebtcnitsida̶p

GRAL’SAX

.suhtiwssenisubgng

0

R

055.449.77.78

URTSEG

EDNELLA

R